Re: Not using DOC for ELisp files

[Eli Zaretskii]

> From: Stefan Monnier <monnier@iro.umontreal.ca>
> Cc: emacs-devel@gnu.org
> Date: Tue, 28 Dec 2021 12:14:43 -0500
> 
> Yes, it means the docstring are fetched from the likes of
> `lisp/files.elc` (as is already the case for the non-preloaded files)
> instead of from `etc/DOC`.
> 
> > Or does it mean the *.el files (which might be compressed) must
> > be available?
> 
> No, the `.el` files are not used any more than before.
> 
> > And what does this mean for a natively-compiled installation?
> 
> I don't think this has any impact.

So natively-compiled installations still need to make the *.elc files
available in the installation tree?

Andrea, is that a requirement regardless of the doc strings?  That is,
can one remove the *.elc files of the preloaded Lisp files once Emacs
is installed and the preloaded *.eln files are available?

> > If there are any non-trivial consequences of this change, i.e. distros
> > will now need to make sure something happens that they didn't before,
> > I think we should get their opinions before we install this.
> 
> The only non-trivial consequence I can think of is when the compiled
> preloaded files are missing.  E.g. if the distros remove
> `lisp/files.elc`.  I don't aware of any distro/packaging doing it (even
> tho it did make sense doing so to save a few bytes).

Well, I hope those of them who read this list will chime in if this is
of any concern.

Thanks.