GNU bug report logs - #39121
27.0.60; occur: Add bindings for next-error-no-select

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Message #81 received at 39121 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Eli Zaretskii <eliz <at> gnu.org>
To: Mattias Engdegård <mattiase <at> acm.org>
Cc: larsi <at> gnus.org, tino.calancha <at> gmail.com, 39121 <at> debbugs.gnu.org,
 juri <at> linkov.net
Subject: Re: bug#39121: 27.0.60; occur: Add bindings for  next-error-no-select
Date: Sun, 25 Jul 2021 22:23:26 +0300

> From: Mattias Engdegård <mattiase <at> acm.org>
> Date: Sun, 25 Jul 2021 20:54:47 +0200
> Cc: larsi <at> gnus.org, juri <at> linkov.net, 39121 <at> debbugs.gnu.org,
>         tino.calancha <at> gmail.com
> 
> 25 juli 2021 kl. 18.27 skrev Eli Zaretskii <eliz <at> gnu.org>:
> 
> > The NEWS file doesn't necessarily describe only stuff documented
> > somewhere, it also describes changes that aren't documented anywhere
> > but the source code.
> 
> Yes, but then it's always something that affects the user in some way, isn't it?

"User" in this case includes Lisp programmers; there's the "Lisp
changes" section in NEWS for that reason.

> Mentioning changed internals doesn't seem to be standard practice, but I could be wrong about that.

Text properties are not internals, they are visible to any Lisp
program and to the user.

> Would you point out a few examples of where we described changed aspects of undocumented implementation details in NEWS? That would support your view and help me understand it better.

Sorry, no, I won't.  I think this aspect of the change should be in
NEWS, and I'm asking you to document it there.  I don't understand why
I'm required to go to such lengths to justify a simple request.  If
you are still not convinced, I will do it myself, because this endless
dispute about a couple of sentences in NEWS is more than I can afford.

> The question is also whether it should be documented at all.

I think it should, and have said so.

> > Since you introduced the new format, you probably thought it to be
> > better than the existing one, right?  Then telling others about that
> > would be a good service, IMO.
> 
> The change was made exclusively for improving Occur itself, and the external packages that I have seen would generally draw little advantage from doing anything differently. Of course, I haven't seen them all, but having other people depending on implementation details of your software is a maintenance burden which either impedes progress.

Please leave the final judgment about that to me.  I understand your
point and your doubts, but I still think we should document this
aspect of the change in NEWS.  I hope this is enough to convince you.

TIA

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