Subject: Re: bug#32578: Remove "joke" from drag events documentation

From: Colin Baxter <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 30 Aug 2018 08:49:57 +0100

>>>>> Marcin Borkowski <[email-masked]> writes:

    > On 2018-08-29, at 19:29, Chris Shea <[email-masked]> wrote:

    >> Hello,
    >> 
    >> This patch removes an unnecessary and unwelcoming joke from the
    >> drag events documentation. Documentation should be informative
    >> and inclusive.

    > I'm a bit on the fence about this.  On the one hand, I remember
    > seeing the joke some time ago and finding it hilarious.  On the
    > other hand, I remember feeling good about removing other jokes
    > from Emacs sources, which were _really_ offensive.  This one seems
    > to be far, far from offensive anyway, and if anyone feels offended
    > by this, they probably well deserve it.  Disclosure: I know (and
    > often tell myself) jokes about groups of people _I_ belong to
    > which are probably much more "offensive" than this one (though
    > obviously I may be biased).  I can provide a sample on request.

    > I don't see how the relevant portion can be seen as not
    > informative.

    > BTW, I am now coauthoring a book on pretty advanced mathematics
    > (nonlinear analysis), and we try to put quite a lot of jokes into
    > it.  Well-placed jokes do not make a book/documentation less
    > informative, but more pleasant to read.  (Unfortunately, there is
    > nothing about "drag events" in the book.)

    > If I were to made a decision, I would probably (a bit reluctantly,
    > but still) leave it, so that Emacs does not succumb to the idiocy
    > called "political correctness".

    > Best,

    > -- Marcin Borkowski http://mbork.pl

I agree with Marcin's comments and would add that a joke is hardly a
bug. Perhaps the original poster should place the suggestion elsewhere,
maybe emacs.devel?

Best wishes