Re: A wish, a plea

[Karl Fogel]

Jason Rumney <address@hidden> writes:
> Karl Fogel wrote:
>>    - It's true that "*scratch*" today opens with this message in it:
>>
>>        ;; This buffer is for notes you don't want to save, and for
>>        ;; Lisp evaluation.  If you want to create a file, visit that
>>        ;; file with C-x C-f, then enter the text in that file's own
>>        ;; buffer.
>>
>>      But users don't read stuff, we all know that
>
> Sorry, but I just don't find that argument compelling. It clearly states
> that the *scratch* buffer is NOT intended for the use that you and the
> original poster are complaining it is not suited for. The fact that you
> choose to wilfully ignore that message does not make it a bug.

I agree that it is the user's fault.

But so what?  Why should that affect UI decisions?  A Lisp Interaction
buffer that doesn't even prompt to save on exit is a pointless default
for the vast majority of Emacs's users.  Putting that message in it
doesn't make it any more useful, it just allows us to transfer blame.

Furthermore, the failure mode of the status quo is much more severe
than the failure mode of being asked to save scratch work that you
don't want to save.  In the first case you lose data; in the second,
you may get annoyed with a question, but you don't lose any data.

-Karl