Subject: bug#21695: 25.0.50; Change most occurrences of `setq' in Emacs manual to `customize-set-variable'

From: Drew Adams <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 29 Aug 2021 19:05:17 +0000

[Sending again, after unarchiving...]

> >> Please (case by case) change examples that use `setq' to set an option
> >> value, so that they instead use one of the Customize functions
> >> (`customize-set-variable', `custom-set-variables', etc.).
> >
> > No, using setq for user options is fine.  Closing.
> 
> The Emacs manual should mention that some user options must be set
> in a different way as explained in the Emacs Lisp Reference Manual.

Yes, indeed.  (But the bug was closed.)

`setq' for user options is _not_, in general, fine.
It is fine for many - even most - user options.
But there is definitely something to teach users
about this, IMHO.  And it doesn't take much to tell.

Thanks for chiming in here.  I expect that in another
decade or two, after someone else files a bug about
this perhaps, Emacs will eventually provide what's
missing.
 
> @Drew: You should review your answer on Emacs Stack
> Exchange because it is misleading.

Thanks for letting me know, but that's too vague.
It's not clear to me what you think is misleading.

Maybe add a comment there, or here, or send me an
email?  You've apparently reviewed it and found
something misleading.  What did you find?

https://emacs.stackexchange.com/a/17389/105