RE: Summary and next steps for (package-initialize)

[Drew Adams]

> However, if Emacs is started with no init-file, then a default
                       ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
> one will be generated and loaded (except in 'emacs -Q').
                                    ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

What does that mean?  Are you perhaps distinguishing between
switches -q and -Q?  If so, why would the former lead to
generating an init file but not the latter?

Personally, I don't think Emacs should be generating init files
in any case.  And certainly not generating an init file that
does something with the package system.  Emacs should continue
with the point of view that you start it, by default, with no
init file - no code at all.  Nada.

I also do not think that Emacs should modify a user's existing
init file to initialize intended use of the package system.
I stated that in an earlier thread.

If the package system needs to write code to a file for you
to be able to use it properly then let it use its own file for
that, just like Customize does (if you define `custom-file').
It is a bad idea for Emacs to write programmatically to a file
that users normally edit manually.

The simple case of a user not using packages at all should
be preserved, with no monkeying with init files.

If a user chooses to use packages, and if the package system
needs to save code persistently for the user in order for it
to work smoothly, then it should do so in a separate user
file, not the init file.  (And that should of course only be
after a user opts in, saying that s?he wants that.)