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Bug#197835: [PROPOSAL]: integrated environments are allowed



On Wed, Jun 18, 2003 at 01:28:06AM +0100, Colin Watson wrote:
> On Tue, Jun 17, 2003 at 07:51:00PM -0400, Colin Walters wrote:
> > @@ -7349,11 +7352,13 @@
> >  	</p>
> >  
> >  	<p>
> > -	  Thus, every program that launches an editor or pager must
> > -	  use the EDITOR or PAGER environment variable to determine
> > -	  the editor or pager the user wishes to use.  If these
> > -	  variables are not set, the programs <file>/usr/bin/editor</file>
> > -	  and <file>/usr/bin/pager</file> should be used, respectively.
> > +	  Thus, every program without an internal preference that
> > +	  launches an editor or pager must use the EDITOR or PAGER
> > +	  environment variable to determine the editor or pager the
> > +	  user wishes to use.  If these variables are not set, the
> > +	  programs <file>/usr/bin/editor</file>
> > +	  and <file>/usr/bin/pager</file> should be used,
> > +	  respectively.
> >  	</p>
> >  
> >  	<p>
> 
> I think this is very bad. At the moment policy says that my EDITOR and
> PAGER variables have priority over what random programs think is a good
> idea, which I think is excellent. If programs get to pick a default that
> overrides my EDITOR and PAGER then it all degenerates into chaos.

I concurr. This will be a massive step backward providing useful
default. 

> If what you really meant was that the order is as follows:
> 
>   * EDITOR/PAGER
>   * program's preferred editor or pager
>   * /usr/bin/editor or /usr/bin/pager
> 
> ... then that would be slightly better; it dilutes the effectiveness of
> the editor and pager alternatives, but that might not be *too* bad. It's
> late here so I haven't fully thought it through.

It will be broken: users will get random program lauched unless they
set $EDITOR/$PAGER/$BROWSER. This is not a sane default, this is much
better to consistantly launch the same editor, whatever it is.
User will get used to it or will set EDITOR to their liking.
Nothing is more confusing that getting presented with an different 
editor each time.

Cheers,
-- 
Bill. <ballombe@debian.org>

Imagine a large red swirl here. 



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