GNU bug report logs - #79274
30.1; isearch should assume fresh string after hiatus

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Message #5 received at submit <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Dan Jacobson <jidanni <at> jidanni.org>
To: bug-gnu-emacs <at> gnu.org
Subject: 30.1; isearch should assume fresh string after hiatus
Date: Wed, 20 Aug 2025 08:22:10 +0800

You know how CTRL+G, CTRL+F search in big name browsers works:
if one does something else for a while and comes back, the browser
assumes that any string entered is a new search, not an addition to the
current string.

E.g., I search for Trump. A few minutes later I then type in Nixon.
Well the browser knows that I now want to search for Nixon, not
"TrumpNixon".

That's how I think Emacs' isearch should work by default.

Yes, you might say "All you need to do is type... first".

Message #8 received at 79274 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Eli Zaretskii <eliz <at> gnu.org>
To: Dan Jacobson <jidanni <at> jidanni.org>
Cc: 79274 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#79274: 30.1; isearch should assume fresh string after hiatus
Date: Wed, 20 Aug 2025 13:49:31 +0300

tags 79274 notabug
thanks

> From: Dan Jacobson <jidanni <at> jidanni.org>
> Date: Wed, 20 Aug 2025 08:22:10 +0800
> 
> You know how CTRL+G, CTRL+F search in big name browsers works:
> if one does something else for a while and comes back, the browser
> assumes that any string entered is a new search, not an addition to the
> current string.
> 
> E.g., I search for Trump. A few minutes later I then type in Nixon.
> Well the browser knows that I now want to search for Nixon, not
> "TrumpNixon".
> 
> That's how I think Emacs' isearch should work by default.

The Emacs behavior is a feature, and a very convenient one.  It makes
it very easy to make small corrections to the previous search string,
where the other applications require you to type the entire modified
string anew.  It would be unthinkable to change this after Emacs
behaved like that for such a long time.

> Yes, you might say "All you need to do is type... first".

Exactly.

Message #13 received at 79274 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Richard Stallman <rms <at> gnu.org>
To: Dan Jacobson <jidanni <at> jidanni.org>
Cc: 79274 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#79274: 30.1; isearch should assume fresh string after hiatus
Date: Wed, 20 Aug 2025 22:21:40 -0400

[[[ To any NSA and FBI agents reading my email: please consider    ]]]
[[[ whether defending the US Constitution against all enemies,     ]]]
[[[ foreign or domestic, requires you to follow Snowden's example. ]]]

Since this is a feature proposal, not a bug report, let's move it to
emacs-devel <at> gnu.org.

-- 
Dr Richard Stallman (https://stallman.org)
Chief GNUisance of the GNU Project (https://gnu.org)
Founder, Free Software Foundation (https://fsf.org)
Internet Hall-of-Famer (https://internethalloffame.org)

Message #16 received at 79274 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Eli Zaretskii <eliz <at> gnu.org>
To: jidanni <at> jidanni.org
Cc: 79274 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#79274: 30.1; isearch should assume fresh string after hiatus
Date: Sat, 06 Sep 2025 10:56:10 +0300

tags 79274 notabug wontfix
close 79274
thanks

> Cc: 79274 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
> Date: Wed, 20 Aug 2025 13:49:31 +0300
> From: Eli Zaretskii <eliz <at> gnu.org>
> 
> tags 79274 notabug
> thanks
> 
> > From: Dan Jacobson <jidanni <at> jidanni.org>
> > Date: Wed, 20 Aug 2025 08:22:10 +0800
> > 
> > You know how CTRL+G, CTRL+F search in big name browsers works:
> > if one does something else for a while and comes back, the browser
> > assumes that any string entered is a new search, not an addition to the
> > current string.
> > 
> > E.g., I search for Trump. A few minutes later I then type in Nixon.
> > Well the browser knows that I now want to search for Nixon, not
> > "TrumpNixon".
> > 
> > That's how I think Emacs' isearch should work by default.
> 
> The Emacs behavior is a feature, and a very convenient one.  It makes
> it very easy to make small corrections to the previous search string,
> where the other applications require you to type the entire modified
> string anew.  It would be unthinkable to change this after Emacs
> behaved like that for such a long time.
> 
> > Yes, you might say "All you need to do is type... first".
> 
> Exactly.

No further comments, so I'm now closing this non-bug.

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