bug#66554: [PATCH] Add the public API of Compat to the core

[Eli Zaretskii]

> From: Philip Kaludercic <philipk@posteo.net>
> Cc: mail@daniel-mendler.de,  66554@debbugs.gnu.org,  stefankangas@gmail.com,
>   monnier@iro.umontreal.ca
> Date: Sat, 10 Feb 2024 16:29:00 +0000
> 
> >> Note that Compat provides replacement functions with extended
> >> functionality for functions that are already defined (@code{sort},
> >> @code{assoc}, @dots{}).  These functions may have changed their
> >> calling convention (additional optional arguments) or may have changed
> >> their behavior.  These functions must be looked up explicitly with
> >> @code{compat-function} or called explicitly with @code{compat-call}.
> >> We call them ``Extended Definitions''.  In contrast, newly ``Added
> >> Definitions'' can be called as usual.
> >
> > Thanks.  I suggest to copy the above paragraph to the ELisp reference
> > manual, 
> 
> OK, can do.
> 
> >         and add a cross-reference to the Compat manual after it.
> 
> IIUC the cross-reference will be broken, unless the user has installed
> Compat manually.

I wouldn't be worried about that: the cross-reference is readable, and
the reader will understand what it says even if it cannot be followed.
We do that for other manuals, which belong to other packages that
might not be installed.

> Moreover, if I am not mistaken, the documentation bundled with the
> Compat package might not be loaded at all, if the package isn't
> activated due to the versioning trick.

What do you mean by "not loaded"?  If a package is installed, its Info
manual is also installed, isn't it?  And if you mean the manual might
not be on the Info search path, then that again goes back to the
"package not installed" scenario, which I don't think we should worry
about.

Thanks.