Subject: RE: bug#18844: Trunk: typing in minibuffer gets spuriously echoed in mode line

From: Drew Adams <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 26 Oct 2014 09:32:45 -0700 (PDT)

>  > -Q.  Type in "M-: (setq" and wait ~half a second.  The word
>  > "setq" is spuriously echoed at the start of the mode line.
> 
>  > This happens on both ttys and GUIs, at least on GNU systems.

It happens on MS Windows also.
 
> 	By a chance, does it still happen if you disable
> 	global-eldoc-mode?

That gets rid of it; thanks.  Please turn this OFF by default.

This was pushed onto the trunk before any real discussion.  Limited
discussion ensued - about the missing doc for it - AFTER the fact:
http://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/emacs-devel/2014-01/msg01771.html

And in that discussion, Stefan said clearly that "this change in
behavior was not intended."  There was no real discussion of this
mode-line takeover.  As Eli said there, "I don't think turning this
on by default in eval-minibuffer was ever seriously discussed."
And Stefan concurred, saying that the only discussion was "about
making eldoc work in the minibuffer, not about enabling it."

But after that, in the same thread, Stefan said, "Feel free to add
it as soon as we re-open the trunk for changes."  Just add it - no
discussion.  Dommage.

Someone's favorite shiny new toy should not be foisted on all
users as changed default behavior.  It took decades for
`transient-mark-mode' to finally be turned on by default, after
*much* discussion in emacs-devel.  Should have happened a lot
sooner, yes(!) - but still only after a thorough discussion.
`delete-selection-mode' as default is still probably years off.

Why should this mode-line takeover be imposed suddenly with no
real discussion?  Never would have happened in "the good ol'
days".

It is not hard for a user to turn such behavior ON, if desired.
Why should it now be the default?  Have you seen zillions of
users demanding that this be the default behavior or something?
Did you take a user poll, as RMS would likely advise?

What is behind this, besides someone's desire to impose personal
preferences on everyone?

Let those who want to try it turn it on and experiment with it.
Maybe after a few years we can discuss whether it merits being
turned on by default, if many people clearly are using it at
that point.  Turning it on now without discussion is premature
and anti-user/community.