Subject: Re: bug#73709: 29.4; Doc of `file-newer-than-file-p'

From: Michael Heerdegen <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 11 Oct 2024 02:23:09 +0200

Eli Zaretskii <[email-masked]> writes:

> > Apart from that: if it is hard or not practical to describe what the
> > function returns in every case, we can instead try to describe major
> > use cases.
>
> That'd mean a lot of text to write to describe what should be clear
> enough, at least as far as Emacs is concerned.  I don't think it's our
> job to describe how the various filesystems work.

This is not what I suggested.  My suggestion was to tell something like
"For example, this function is used to check whether a file should be
restored from an auto-safe file, or needs to be recompiled".  This is
possible without describing how filesystems work, or how quantum
chromodynamics work.

> Very well, but please remember your opinions in this matter, because
> if someone comes up asking for more details about "last modification
> times" (perhaps even Drew himself, e.g. because someone asked some
> question on SE), I will defer to you and Stefan to deal with the
> fallout.

When you say "[...] should be clear enough": are you sure that the
misinterpretation as "file creation time" only can happen to me and to
Drew - because we are exceptionally stupid Emacs users?  If not: do you
have any better idea?

And: Sure can you ask for my help, but, with all respect, please not in
such a way, Eli.

Michael.