Re: delete-selection-mode as default

[Eli Zaretskii]

> From: hw <address@hidden>
> Cc: address@hidden,  address@hidden,  address@hidden,  address@hidden,  
> address@hidden,  address@hidden,  address@hidden,  address@hidden
> Date: Wed, 19 Sep 2018 01:45:59 +0200
> 
> >> >> Emacs has point and (the end of) the region (selection) always entangled
> >> >> with no way to separate them or to disable the region.  That is what I
> >> >> dislike so much, and it causes all kinds of issues.
> >> >
> >> > It is also why it is so convenient to define the region without using
> >> > the mouse.  With the current way of defining region, you just go to
> >> > the other end, and you are immediately ready to invoke commands that
> >> > operate on the region.  How do you do that if point is not on one of
> >> > the edges of the region, except by dragging the mouse?
> >> 
> >> Commands limited to the selection can work with the selection without a
> >> need to even have the selection displayed on screen.
> >
> > I don't see how this is relevant to the aspect of the Emacs region to
> > which I was referring.
> 
> It refers to your idea that it would be inconvenient having to use a
> pointing device to do something with a selection.

In that case, the issue is still there, because the selection had to
be created somehow, and that would be possible by mouse only.  So the
Emacs way is more convenient in many use cases.

> You could even use a pointing device to select something.

Of course.  But it's a distraction to use a pointing device while
typing.

> >> There is no going to "the other end" of a region before a
> >> selection has been made, and once one has been made, there is no need to
> >> do that in order to do something with the selection
> >
> > Emacs does that the other way around, but the result is no less
> > convenient and efficient.
> 
> How do you go to the other end of a selection before it has been made,

With cursor motion commands, of which Emacs has a lot, for the various
meaningful portions of text (word, sentence, paragraph, sexp, etc.).

> and why would you?

To define the region as appropriate for the command I want to invoke.