GNU bug report logs - #7507
24.0.50; GDB dialog: default should not be `Yes' if GDB is not installed

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From: Lars Ingebrigtsen <larsi <at> gnus.org>
To: Eli Zaretskii <eliz <at> gnu.org>
Cc: 7507 <at> debbugs.gnu.org, drew.adams <at> oracle.com
Subject: bug#7507: 24.0.50; GDB dialog: default should not be `Yes' if GDB is not installed
Date: Thu, 28 Apr 2016 11:38:32 +0200

Eli Zaretskii <eliz <at> gnu.org> writes:

>> > Why does the question asking whether I want to debug with GDB have `Yes'
>> > as the default value if I don't even have GDB installed?  That obliges
>> > users to pick up the mouse and click `No' instead of just hitting RET.
>> > If you try to answer `Yes' you just get into trouble: That provokes a
>> > Microsoft error, letting you send lots of interesting info to MS for
>> > `GNU Emacs: The extensible self-documenting text editor'.  I.e., `Yes'
>> > => Microsoft dialog box: `Send Error Report' or `Don't Send'.

[...]

> FWIW, I don't think trying to detect whether GDB is installed when
> displaying that dialog is a reasonable request.  That dialog is
> displayed when Emacs is already in bad trouble, so embarking on a
> non-trivial journey trying to find gdb.exe somewhere on the system,
> which involves issuing quite a few system calls, doesn't sound like a
> good idea.

But presumably Emacs has to do the `executable-find' thing to call gdb,
anyway?  And ending up in a situation where we're offering to send a bug
report to Microsoft sounds less than optimal...

-- 
(domestic pets only, the antidote for overdose, milk.)
   bloggy blog: http://lars.ingebrigtsen.no

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