Re: emacs24 X primary selection changes

[Bob Proulx]

Eli Zaretskii wrote:
> > > I don't know why the default was changed.  I assume it is
> > > further encroachment of CUA mode to be more MS Windows like
> > > since I can't think of any other reason.
> > 
> > I can't speak for Emacs Dev obviously, and I might have
> > misunderstood, but I believe that all of the default changes wrt
> > selection etc. were to bring Emacs more into line with X Window.
> > AFAIK, nothing to do with CUA or MS Windows.
> 
> The initiative indeed came from Unix and X side, and was inspired by
> how X applications behave lately.  But I strongly suspect that the
> latter was in turn caused by slow intoxication of the Unix world by
> features and behavior originating from Windows.  E.g., the fact that
> clipboard data is manipulated by keyboard was always how Windows
> behaved (because there was never an X selection on Windows).  Of
> course, now there's a whole "philosophy" behind that...

I completely agree with your assessment.

But X Window applications have always expected dragging mouse-1 to
copy text and mouse-2 to paste text.  Any change away from that isn't
"to conform with modern X applications" as stated in the NEWS entry.
I am becoming more convinced that it is a poor description.  But that
modifying word "modern" is a "weasel word" that makes it harder to
nail down.  It allows for "modern X app" to be different from "X app".
If modern X applications are becoming more MS Windows like then it is
true even if it is less X Window like.

> In general, we now have a generation of people using Posix systems
> whose UI experience and expectations come from Windows-based behavior
> or from other people whose experience is rooted in Windows.
> Otherwise, I cannot explain why all the major X desktops look like
> copies of the Windows desktop, including all of its annoyances.  I'm
> afraid the next generation of X desktops will look like the silly
> Windows 8 "Metro" thingy.

Agreed.  But the Windows 8 Metro desktop looks to me like an imitation
of the previous phone/tablet systems such as Unity, GNOME3, Android
and iOS.  It is just flat 2D instead of 3D icons that makes it look
like it does.  But otherwise not really new at all.  Just
"phone-like".  Certainly if a new X desktop environment produces a
flat 2D theme tiling manager that looks like Windows 8 Metro then
there will be no doubt about where the history of it came from.

To wind this thread down let me close by saying that I was stuck.  I
had read documentation, NEWS, FAQs and searched.  I had tried many
things.  I failed.  I didn't figure it out.  I asked for help.  I got
excellent help!  Thank you!  I was able to configure emacs back to my
liking.  I continue to use emacs happily.

Thanks to all!

Bob