GNU bug report logs - #74604
30.0.92; FR: M-x package-upgrade - offer an option to show a diff on upgrade

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Message #59 received at 74604 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Eli Zaretskii <eliz <at> gnu.org>
To: Nobuyuki Kamimoto <kamimoto527 <at> gmail.com>
Cc: mail <at> daniel-mendler.de, philipk <at> posteo.net, 74604 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#74604: [PATCH v1] package.el: Add diff display and
 confirmation for package upgrades (Bug#74604)
Date: Sat, 13 Sep 2025 10:08:57 +0300

> Cc: 74604 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
> Date: Sat, 13 Sep 2025 09:01:33 +0900
> From: Nobuyuki Kamimoto <kamimoto527 <at> gmail.com>
> 
> +(defcustom package-upgrade-confirmation-policy t

The default value sounds problematic to me.  For starters, it changes
previous behavior, which already should have a good reason.  Moreover,
IME most people don't care about the changes, and consider any display
that insists of showing them, let alone wants a confirmation, an
annoyance.  Consider the case that a user upgrades many packages at
once, for example.

So my suggestion is to leave the default at nil, preserving previous
behavior.  This option is a very good feature, but only for users who
are actually interested in reviewing the changes when they upgrade.

> +Possible values:
> +
> +\\=`t\\=' - Default
> +    Show diffs and prompt for all package upgrades.
> +
> +\\=`nil\\='
> +    Automatically upgrade all packages without showing diffs.

We don't quote t and nil in doc strings, so please don't.

> +  :type '(choice
> +          (const :tag "Always show diffs" t)
> +          (const :tag "Never show diffs" nil)
> +          (repeat :tag "Specific packages/archives to confirm"

If we are going to request confirmation, the first two tags should
also mention that.  As written, the first two tags only talk about
showing the diffs and never mention that showing changes also requires
a confirmation.

Thanks.

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