RE: Frequently Enabled Packages - Emacs-24.4 survey (Please participate)

[Drew Adams]

> > Exercise judgement in interpreting the results.

;-)

> > | Packages/Modes            | Upvote / User count |  % |
> > |---------------------------+---------------------+----|
> > | tramp                     |                  11 | 12 |
> 
> Tramp is part of the Emacs distribution, and it is enabled by
> `file-name-handler-alist'. Does this figure mean, 11 users are not aware
> of? Or does this mean, just 11 of 89 users wish to see Tramp?
> 
> I don't understand this figure.

Good question.  The instructions say to increment the count for
a given feature if you use it.  There is no instruction regarding
decrementing.  But the instructions have been ignored or
misinterpreted more than once, so far.

My guess would be that in this case 11 people out of those
participating are (a) aware of Tramp and (b) wanted to mention
that they use it and find it useful.  I would *not* assume that
those who did not increment the Tramp counter are (c) unaware
of it or (d) do not find it useful.

Another thing to consider is that the table was empty to start
with, and different entries appeared at different points, when
someone thought to add them.

So, e.g., if the first person happened to add feature `blah'
to the list, then subsequent "voters" saw `blah' and considered
it.  If `floop' was not added until much later (for whatever
reason), subsequent voters did not see `floop' until then.

It is what it is.