>
> So we need to look for another solution.
>
>
I would be happy to help you, but I think my knowledge is not enough.


> > Init.el:
> > (require 'package)
> > (add-to-list 'package-archives '("melpa" .
> > "http://melpa.milkbox.net/packages/"))
> > (package-initialize)
> >
> > (require 'auto-complete-config)
> > (auto-complete-mode t)
> > (ac-config-default)
> >
> > (global-linum-mode t)
>
> Is it enough to do just this instead:
>
>   (require 'auto-complete-config)
>   (auto-complete-mode 1)
>   (ac-config-default)
>   (global-linum-mode 1)
>
> IOW, can I skip the steps that set up package.el, and instead download
> auto-complete manually?
>

Yes, you can. That I did:

$ mkdir -p ~/.emacs.d/packages
$ cd ~/.emacs.d/packages
$ git clone https://github.com/auto-complete/auto-complete.git
$ git clone https://github.com/auto-complete/popup-el.git

And init.el:

(add-to-list 'load-path "~/.emacs.d/packages/auto-complete")
(add-to-list 'load-path "~/.emacs.d/packages/popup-el")
(require 'auto-complete-config)
(auto-complete-mode t)
(ac-config-default)
(global-linum-mode t)