Re: Please restore `make-obsolete''s functionality.

[Alan Mackenzie]

Hi, Stefan,

On Mon, Jul 26, 2010 at 11:55:33PM +0200, Stefan Monnier wrote:
> > Please can we remove this Cleverness?  `make-obsolete' also has to work
> > on OLD code (sometimes very old code) written when WHEN was &optional.

> It's still optional, although the byte-compiler doesn't know it so
> it complains.

Stefan, the following is a lie - a barefaced lie:

    "cc-cmds.el:326:2:Warning: make-obsolete called with 2 arguments, but
    requires 3".

It's a mendacious attempt, by deceit, to force hackers into
doing what's considered good for them.  It's not something which happened
accidentally; code was deliberately inserted so as to hide WHEN's
optionality.

What effect does this have?  I can only answer for me, but...  It's a
drag.  It makes the maintenance of my project less fun.  It raises
feelings of guilt and inadequacy in the face of the juggernaut that Emacs
has become.  Will CC Mode still work without crashing if a user stumbles
over one of these `make-obsolete's?  I know the answer now, but I didn't
between when this change was done and yesterday.

Please can't we have the REAL argument list back in the byte compiler?

>         Stefan

-- 
Alan Mackenzie (Nuremberg, Germany).