GNU bug report logs - #9399
gnus-auto-select-next is dangerous

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

From: Dave Abrahams <dave <at> boostpro.com>
To: submit <at> debbugs.gnu.org (The Gnus Bugfixing Girls + Boys)
Subject: gnus-auto-select-next is dangerous
Date: Mon, 29 Aug 2011 00:28:43 -0800

On a keyboard with a fast repeat rate, holding down `n' in the summary
buffer is liable to unintentionally mark large numbers of articles read
and then “commit” the changes by exiting the group, quite possibly
losing track of important messages forever.  Even if you have
gnus-auto-select-next set to ask for confirmation, the confirmation key
for continuing into the next group is―you guessed it―`n'.  IMO two
changes are in order:

#1 - change the default for this from `t' to `slightly-quietly'

#2 - make the confirmation use `yes-or-no-p' or something other than
     plain `n' to move onward.


No Gnus v0.18
GNU Emacs 23.3.1 (x86_64-apple-darwin10.8.0, Carbon Version 1.6.0 AppKit 1038.36)
 of 2011-07-31 on vulcan
200 Leafnode NNTP Daemon, version 1.11.8 running at localhost (my fqdn: pluto.boostpro.com)
500 Unknown command

-- 
Dave Abrahams
BoostPro Computing
http://www.boostpro.com

Message #12 received at 9399 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Lars Magne Ingebrigtsen <larsi <at> gnus.org>
To: Dave Abrahams <dave <at> boostpro.com>
Cc: 9399 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#9399: gnus-auto-select-next is dangerous
Date: Sun, 04 Sep 2011 16:26:59 +0200

Dave Abrahams <dave <at> boostpro.com> writes:

> On a keyboard with a fast repeat rate, holding down `n' in the summary
> buffer is liable to unintentionally mark large numbers of articles read
> and then “commit” the changes by exiting the group, quite possibly
> losing track of important messages forever.  Even if you have
> gnus-auto-select-next set to ask for confirmation, the confirmation key
> for continuing into the next group is—you guessed it—`n'.  IMO two
> changes are in order:
>
> #1 - change the default for this from `t' to `slightly-quietly'
>
> #2 - make the confirmation use `yes-or-no-p' or something other than
>      plain `n' to move onward.

I disagree.  If you find yourself doing this a lot, then change the
value yourself.

And it's seldom catastrophic.  `C-_' to undo in the group buffer.

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

Message #15 received at 9399 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Dave Abrahams <dave <at> boostpro.com>
To: Lars Magne Ingebrigtsen <larsi <at> gnus.org>
Cc: 9399 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#9399: gnus-auto-select-next is dangerous
Date: Sun, 04 Sep 2011 07:06:02 -0800

on Sun Sep 04 2011, Lars Magne Ingebrigtsen <larsi-AT-gnus.org> wrote:

> I disagree.  If you find yourself doing this a lot, then change the
> value yourself.

I did.  But it took me many accidents and years using Gnus to finally
discover the setting.  Not because I went looking for it, mind you.
It's just a question of how treacherous we want to make the environment
for newbies.  IMO less would be better, in that department.

> And it's seldom catastrophic.  `C-_' to undo in the group buffer.

What can that do if the articles have already been expired?

-- 
Dave Abrahams
BoostPro Computing
http://www.boostpro.com

Message #18 received at 9399 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Lars Magne Ingebrigtsen <larsi <at> gnus.org>
To: Dave Abrahams <dave <at> boostpro.com>
Cc: 9399 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#9399: gnus-auto-select-next is dangerous
Date: Sat, 10 Sep 2011 20:38:43 +0200

Dave Abrahams <dave <at> boostpro.com> writes:

>> And it's seldom catastrophic.  `C-_' to undo in the group buffer.
>
> What can that do if the articles have already been expired?

Not much.  But I wouldn't really recommend expiring articles on group
exit, anyway.  It's kinda slow.

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

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