Re: [Ebib-users] Ebib 0.25 released!

[Joost K. <joo...@fa...>]

On Sun, Aug 20, 2006 at 01:07:05PM +1000, Steve Youngs wrote:
> * Joost Kremers <joo...@fa...> writes:
> 
>   > On Sat, Aug 19, 2006 at 05:08:46PM +1000, Steve Youngs wrote:
> 
> [key bindings]
> 
>   >> In what way were they not customisable before?
> 
>   > you needed to hack the source before.
> 
> No you didn't.  You added some `define-key' forms to your init.el/.emacs.

does the define-key trigger the autoload of ebib? if not, it wouldn't work,
because the keys would then get redefined once ebib is loaded. AFAICS, at
least...

>   > but someone that knows latex cannot be assumed to know elisp
> 
> Perhaps not, but I think the average LaTeX user, especially the
> emacs-brandishing LaTeX user, wouldn't have too much of a problem.

i figured that kind of user wouldn't have a problem with an rc file, so no
need for defcustom. ;-)

>   >> > Plus, I feel that the little customisation that Ebib might need
>   >> > can easily be handled through .ebibrc. 
>   >> 
>   >> OK, I'm heading off on a bit of a tangent here, but, from what I can
>   >> see, there isn't anything in .ebibrc that couldn't be left in
>   >> ebib.el.  I don't see the need to have an rc file.  Couldn't you just
>   >> state in the manual... "if you want to add your own entry types, put
>   >> (defentry foo-entry (...)) into your init.el/.emacs" ?
> 
>   > well, that would be an option, but that would kinda defeat the
>   > purpose of using autoload.
> 
> How so?  It shouldn't change things at all in that regard.

well, defining an autoload for ebib.el in .emacs and then two lines later
using a macro that causes emacs to load ebib.el seem a bit silly to me. of
course, that would only apply to users that want to customise something in
ebib.

>   >> > (I'm of course open to counter-arguments on this point, so
>   >> > please let me know if you feel differently.)
>   >> 
>   >> The counter argument is that _all_ user-configurable variables
>   >> should be defined with `defcustom'.
> 
>   > just like we should all be using MS Windows and Word...
> 
> That's hardly a fair comparison,

that is true. ;-)

> Why would you not use `defcustom'?

because i'm a lazy developer, and if i suspect that no-one will actually
use it, i don't want to spend my time adding it to ebib. ;-)

>  It makes life a lot easier for the
> novice to intermediate user, and doesn't hinder the advanced user in
> any way.  From a user's perspective, there is no down-side to Ebib
> using `defcustom'.

point taken.
 

-- 
Joost Kremers, PhD
Graduate College "Satzarten"
J.W. Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main
Varrentrappstrasse 40-42
60486 Frankfurt am Main
Germany
Tel. +49 69 798 28050