RE: [External] : Re: Default custom file was: Re: Propose to add setup-wizard.el to ELPA

[Drew Adams]

> I do a similar thing anyway. I can see recommending
> such a thing.

Yes, that's a first step.  It should have been done
long ago.

> But I wouldn't like Some Obscure Magic nearly forcing
> people to do it this way?

+1 to no obscure magic.

But yes, preventing Custom from writing to init file
should be done ("forcing", if you prefer that word).

> (Yes, the last bit of your proposal: "do the ... as a default behaviour"
> counts to me as Some Obscure Magic. I much prefer to have the load down
> there in my init file explicitly).

(See my reply to Pedro.)

Users should have complete control, including the
ability to (e.g. conditionally) not load
`custom-file' at all.  (E.g., the file might not
make sense when the moon is full.)

By default, `custom-file' (in some default
location) should be empty, in which case loading
it by default is a no-op.

It should never be loaded automatically if it's
already been loaded.  And we should even have a
variable that can prevent automatic loading
altogether.
___

All such details can be worked out.  The general
idea is that Custom should not write to your
init file (unless of course you explicitly set
`custom-file' to it for some, typically unwise,
reason).