Re: Change in files.el

[Stefan Monnier]

>> - So that you don't have to wrap each and every use inside an `if'.
>> - Or so you don't have to fix the docstring to say what happens when the
>> value is nil.
>> - Or so you can use `add-function' on it.
>> - More generally, so that you can slightly change its behavior without
>> having to re-implement the default behavior by hand.
>> - Also, so as to make sure that it is *possible* to reimplement the
>> default behavior by hand (i.e. to make sure the predicate has access to all
>> the info it needs to reproduce the default behavior).
> These sound minor to me (and the last two are also possible without
> the requirement, AFAIU).

Hmm... how do you get the last two without that requirement?

> By contrast, insisting on a function value instead of the default nil
> forces me to go through at least one more level of indirection when
> I need to understand what happens in a function that references such
> variables, which sounds like a more serious trouble from my POV.

I don't follow, sorry.  I don't understand what you mean by "go through
at least one more level of indirection" here.  Could you explain with
an example.


        Stefan