Re: use-package.el -> Emacs core

[John Wiegley]

>>>>> João Távora <address@hidden> writes:

> I don't think anyone is arguing against the usefulness of macros in general,
> only skeptic macros that introduce a totally new mini-language for a lot
> independent functionality, most of it already user-visible and documented in
> the user manual. Such is the case of `use-package'

use-package is not aimed at replacing the Lisp skills of the members of this
list; it is also for those whose only exposure to add-hook is an opaque thing
they copied from a web page. They will never read up on what it does, and
forcing them to see it does not encourage them to become programmers.

  (use-package python-mode :load-path "site-lisp/python-mode" :mode "\\.py$")

This is also something they'll just copy and paste, maybe not even knowing
what a mode is. Compare with:

  (add-to-list 'load-path (expand-file-name "site-lisp/python-mode"
                                            user-emacs-directory))
  (autoload 'python-mode "python-mode" nil t)
  (add-to-list 'auto-mode-alist '("\\.py$" . python-mode))

"Only a mother could love that". To an Emacs Lisp expert, the latter does have
some beauty, owing to its directness, and clarity with regard to fundamental
operations. Somehow, though, I prefer the former.

John