Subject: bug#11354: 24.1.50; long lines (214 chars!) in files.el

From: "Drew Adams" <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 26 Apr 2012 11:11:48 -0700

> Yes, frivolous "bugs".  Coding style is not a bug.

1. Debatable.  Emacs is about source code, not just executable behavior.  Emacs
users deserve clean, readable code.  The source code is part of Emacs and the
experience of using Emacs.  A big part.  Not to recognize and respect that is to
do a disservice to users.

2. `report-emacs-bug' is not only for bugs, in any case.  It is for improvements
generally, including bugs and enhancement requests.  A suggestion to improve
usability is as valid as a report about a critical security bug, even if the fix
is not as important.

There is no reason for such stubborn resistance to such a reasonable suggestion,
which is after all in line with the GNU policy.  It is trivial to fix this -
takes far less time and effort than your resistance/obstruction.  Is your desire
to improve Emacs or to fight some silly battle?

By declaring this "won't fix" you are effectively deciding that it is _better_
to have such long lines in the code than it is to respect the longstanding
policy of limiting line length.

How so?
a. Because the fix is so trivial.
b. Because leaving such extremely long lines here and there does not discourage
their use elsewhere: it sets a bad example.