bug#1305: All code that currently beeps should use visual bell instead

[Lars Ingebrigtsen]

Stefan Monnier <monnier@iro.umontreal.ca> writes:

>> It's more intrusive than what many people are using -- which is neither
>> an audible nor a visible bell, but just the echo area saying "Quit" when
>> you hit `C-g' (etc).
>
> But those people won't be affected by a change in the default.

Dmitry's useful overview of the various distributions (thanks) had this,
for instance:

---
Prelude and Spacemacs:

  (setq ring-bell-function 'ignore)
---

If I understand correctly, this doesn't set `visible-bell', but only
uses the default value (which is nil).  So changing the default will
indeed affect these users (until the distributions update themselves to
set visible-bell to nil).

> The only people which would see a "more intrusive" bell is those who
> keep the default settings but whose environment ends up muting the
> audible bell.  I don't know how common this is.

Me neither -- but just as a data point: In Gnome Shell the customisation
element for switching "system sounds" off is prominent, so my guess
would be that it's something people do use.  

-- 
(domestic pets only, the antidote for overdose, milk.)
   bloggy blog: http://lars.ingebrigtsen.no