Re: default.el and site-start.el

[Stefan Monnier]

> Hmmmm.  Interesting point.  Does the same apply to defcustom?  In

Of course.

> other words, is `setq' really the only thing users should use in their
> init files (be it .emacs or default.el or site-start.el)?

Well yes: they want to give a particular value to a variable that's defined
in some package.  They don't want to define that variable.

> Is it reasonable to use `setq-default' in default.el so that you don't
> have to do special testing to see if the user set the variable in his
> .emacs?

I think you need to reread the description of what setq-default does.
It unconditionally sets the global value of the variable (whereas `setq'
might only change the buffer-local value if the variable is local to the
buffer).

> I think it's appropriate for the Emacs admin to use `defcustom' in
> site-start.el to create *site* *specific* variables since it also
> establishes documentation for them and, thus, makes them easier for
> the users to understand.  I used to use `defvar' for this in the early
> days before customize.

Of course.


        Stefan