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Rewrite Antinews in ELisp manual for Emacs 29

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* doc/lispref/anti.texi (Antinews): Rewrite for Emacs 29.
* doc/lispref/elisp.texi (Top): Update the top-level menu for
Antinews.
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Eli Zaretskii 2023-01-01 19:37:22 +02:00
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@ -6,179 +6,182 @@
@c This node must have no pointers. @c This node must have no pointers.
@node Antinews @node Antinews
@appendix Emacs 27 Antinews @appendix Emacs 28 Antinews
@c Update the elisp.texi Antinews menu entry with the above version number. @c Update the elisp.texi Antinews menu entry with the above version number.
For those users who live backwards in time, here is information about For those users who live backwards in time, here is information about
downgrading to Emacs version 27.2. We hope you will enjoy the greater downgrading to Emacs version 28.2. We hope you will enjoy the greater
simplicity that results from the absence of many @w{Emacs simplicity that results from the absence of many @w{Emacs
@value{EMACSVER}} features. @value{EMACSVER}} features.
@itemize @bullet @itemize @bullet
@item @item
The annoying @code{lexical-binding} local variable now heeds the The implementation of overlays is back to its simple, time-proven
value of @code{enable-local-variables}: if it's @code{nil}, the storage in a pair of linear linked lists centered around some buffer
@code{lexical-binding} cookie is ignored. We are working hard on position. No more fancy interval trees and suchlikes. Lisp programs
removing the lexical-binding support in some past Emacs version, and that use overlays once again need to recenter overlays around the
this small step advances us back to that change. buffer position of interest, and display-related features should again
make sure they don't use too many overlays in a buffer, lest redisplay
will be too slow.
@item @item
The @code{load-dangerous-libraries} variable is not obsolete, as it Several functions stopped the annoying conversion of quotes and key
must be used to allow loading Lisp compiled by XEmacs, which will sequences by no longer calling @code{substitute-command-keys}. One
become more and more important as you move back in time. prominent example is @code{format-prompt} and all its many callers.
This makes the strings they produce much more predictable, returning
to you, the Lisp programmer, control on which punctuation characters
will appear in the text presented to the users. For similar reasons,
the @code{substitute-quotes} function was deleted.
@item @item
The optional @var{modes} argument of @code{interactive} is not The venerable @code{buffer-modified-p} function again reliably returns
supported, and every command is deemed applicable to any major mode. either @code{nil} or @code{t}, not any other confusing values.
We believe this makes the life of Lisp programmers much simpler, as
there's now no need to tag commands with the modes where they make
sense.
@item @item
Shorthands for Lisp symbols have been removed, which makes loading The support for @samp{medium} weight of fonts was dropped. Emacs now
Lisp files and handling Lisp symbols much simpler and more efficient. considers @samp{medium} and @samp{regular} weights to be the same. We
This is important for decent performance on slower CPUs as you move believe this will simplify your font setup, since there's no longer a
back in time. need to worry about fonts that support @samp{regular} weight, but not
the @samp{medium} one, or vice versa: either one will do!
@item @item
To reduce the amount of code in Emacs related to unimportant features, To reduce the amount of code in Emacs related to unimportant features,
we've removed the variables @code{global-minor-modes} and we've removed the function @code{compiled-function-p}. Lisp programs
@code{local-minor-modes}. If your Lisp program needs to determine are expected to test explicitly for the relevant types of function
whether some minor mode is in effect, it will have to test explicitly objects: built-in, byte-compiled, and natively-compiled. For the same
for every mode. We don't expect anyone to miss those fancy variables. reasons we deleted the functions @code{pos-bol}, @code{pos-eol},
@code{file-attribute-file-identifier}, and quite a few others. We
don't expect anyone to miss those fancy functions.
@item @item
The default preference for servicing sub-processes that produce output The timeout used by @code{x-show-tip} can no longer be specified by
at a high rate, and the associated variable Lisp programs; it is hard-coded in the function. This will lead to a
@code{process-prioritize-lower-fds}, have been removed. Moving back simpler, easier maintained code, and no one should want to control the
in time means fewer and fewer programs can produce such high-rate timeout after which the tip pops down.
output, so this features becomes just useless crud.
@item @item
The encodings that are variants of EBCDIC were removed. This includes The macro @code{setopt} was deleted; use @code{customize-variable}
@code{ibm256}, @code{ibm273}, and others---variants of the EBCDIC instead, or invoke the @code{:set} function from Lisp.
encoding tailored for some Japanese and European locales. You won't
need those where you are going.
@item @item
The ``Bindat type expression'' description language has been removed, We removed the @code{lisp-directory} variable, as the value can be
as the existing data layout specifications are perfectly suited for easily deduced from other similar variables, like
this job. @code{installation-directory} and @code{source-directory}, each one
when it's relevant.
@item @item
To simplify code and reduce complexity, we removed the capability of To simplify code and reduce complexity, we deleted the functions
specifying the success handler in @code{condition-case} via the @code{get-display-property} and @code{add-display-text-property}; use
@code{:success} keyword. If you really need this feature (why would the generic @code{get-text-property} and @code{put-text-property}
you?), you can always write some simple Lisp that has the same effect. instead.
@item @item
Emacs modules can no longer provide interactive functions, or install Support for pinch input events and for modern drag-and-drop
finalizers, nor open channels to existing pipe sub-processes. All functionality on X was dropped. As you move back in time, these
this is extra ballast, especially since we plan on removing modules in facilities will become less and less important, and will soon enough
some past Emacs version. The @code{make_unibyte_string} module API disappear, so there's no reason to keep them in Emacs.
was removed for the same reason.
@item @item
To keep Emacs clean and elegant, we've removed the To keep Emacs clean and elegant, we've removed the @file{textsec.el}
@code{print-integers-as-characters} option. Recognizing characters by library, with its facilities for checking whether some text is
their decimal codes is a basic requirement for Emacs Lisp programmers, ``suspicious''. We consider our users smart enough to detect
and with the expected decrease in use of Unicode characters, this will maliciously modified text by just looking at it or by moving the
be soon limited to ASCII only: surely something you all can master! cursor across it, and the whole idea that someone would wish to
deliberately deceive Emacs users ridiculous and unworthy of
complicating our elegant text-processing and display capabilities.
@item @item
The optional @var{count} argument of the @code{directory-files} The functions @code{keymap-set}, @code{keymap-global-set},
function has been removed. Extracting the first @var{n} members from @code{keymap-local-set}, @code{keymap-substitute},
the full list is trivial, so this is a significant simplification for @code{keymap-lookup}, and some others were deleted. We have found the
an insignificant cost. traditional @code{define-key}, @code{global-set-key},
@code{local-set-key}, @code{substitute-key-definition}, and
@code{key-binding} more than enough, and their minor inconsistencies
in the syntax of keys they accept a source of endless fun in Emacs
Lisp programming. Why make Emacs programming a dull place? For the
same reasons we deleted @code{key-valid-p}, since we consider the
permissive nature of @code{kbd} more in the spirit of Emacs Lisp.
@item @item
Functions that create sub-processes and network connections no longer Yanking of anything but plain text from other applications becomes
accept the @code{:coding} argument; use more and more an unnecessary feature as you move back in time, so we
@code{set-process-coding-system} or bind dropped support for pasting media like HTML and images via the
@code{coding-system-for-read/write} instead: again, a significant clipboard. If you @i{really} need to yank those into an Emacs buffer,
reduction in Emacs complexity for little or no cost. you can go via a disk file.
@item @item
We deleted from the macros @code{define-derived-mode} and We removed unnecessary functions @code{string-pixel-width} and
@code{define-minor-mode} the code which allowed using the @code{string-glyph-split}, as we consider it inappropriate for Lisp
@code{:interactive} argument. The possibility of marking a mode programs to do display layout calculations, where these functions come
non-interactive makes very little sense, in handy. Display is for the display engine, written in C, and should
stay there!
@item @item
The possibility of having links to man pages in doc strings has been Various new Xwidget functions, such as
removed. Use plain text instead, if you need such references. @code{xwidget-perform-lispy-event}, @code{xwidget-webkit-load-html},
and @code{xwidget-webkit-back-forward-list}, were deleted as part of
our continuing effort to gradually delete the entire Xwidget
functionality in some previous release of Emacs.
@item @item
Temporary buffers are no longer exempt from running any buffer-related Setting the @code{:stderr} property of a process in a
hooks. Programs that don't want such hooks in some buffer can always @code{make-process} call once again forces the process's connection to
disable it locally, whereas making that simpler complicates Emacs for use pipes, not ptys, for all the standard streams --- a considerable
no good reason. simplification of this complex interface.
@item @item
To keep the amount of Lisp functions from growing out of control, we
deleted @code{string-equal-ignore-case}. Use @code{compare-strings}
instead.
Several features that complicated the byte compiler have been removed: Several features that complicated the byte compiler have been removed:
@itemize @minus @itemize @minus
@item @item
The checks for missing declarations of dynamic variables. This will The warnings about quoting mistakes in documentation strings. You are
continue making less and less sense as we move away of lexical-binding expected to find such mistakes yourself, by eyeballing the resulting
support. @file{*Help*} buffer display.
@item @item
The ability of compiling symlinked @file{*.el} files, which is really The warnings about malformed @code{defcustom} types, like
gross: copy the files instead. double-quoting symbols in @code{choice} lists.
@item
The warnings about too-wide doc strings---that is just a nuisance, as
the programmers should be trusted to know what they are doing.
@end itemize
@item
We deleted several features of the @code{pcase} macro, in accordance
with our general plan to remove @code{pcase} from Emacs:
@itemize @minus
@item
The @code{cl-type} pattern.
@item
the @code{pcase-setq} macro.
@item
The @code{pcase-compile-patterns} function.
@end itemize @end itemize
@item @item
Some of the keywords used in Edebug specification lists were deemed to The macro @code{with-buffer-unmodified-if-unchanged} was deleted.
be of little use, and were therefore removed: @code{&interpose}, Lisp programs that need to leave the buffer unmodified in these cases
@code{&error}, and @code{&name}. The long-term plane is for Emacs to can always compare the text before and after the modifications.
drop Edebug entirely, leaving only the trusted Lisp debugger, and we
continue working according to that plan.
@item @item
The function @code{object-intervals} was dropped, as a Lisp program The functions @code{string-edit} and @code{read-string-from-buffer}
can easily collect the intervals of a buffer or a string by iterating were removed, as we consider the fun of programming them anew every
through them one by one. time an important part of the education of each Emacs Lisp developer.
@item @item
We decided that the @code{require-theme} function is an unnecessary We deleted the function @code{readablep} and the related variable
complication, so we deleted it. Lisp programs can easily search along @code{print-unreadable-function}, since no one is supposed to want to
@code{custom-theme-load-path} instead. print unreadable Lisp objects.
@item @item
The convenience functions @code{length<}, @code{length>}, and The facility for storing multisession variables was deleted as an
@code{length=} were removed, as using @code{length} followed by a unnecessary complication. With it are gone @code{multisession-value},
comparison should be good enough for everyone, especially considering @code{define-multisession-variable}, and
that the typical length of a list keeps going down as you move back @code{list-multisession-values}.
through time.
@item @item
The variable @code{current-minibuffer-command} is no longer available, The support for the @code{cursor-face} text property was dropped. We
as we found little justification for keeping it. consider the rest of the faces adequate for supporting this
functionality.
@item
The function @code{tooltip-show} dropped support for optional face
arguments @code{text-face} and @code{default-face} that allow fancy
control of the face of the tip text and top frame colors. We decided
that tooltips should all look the same, to prevent user confusion.
@item @item
As part of the ongoing quest for simplicity, many other functions and As part of the ongoing quest for simplicity, many other functions and
variables have been eliminated. Other functions and variables, that variables have been eliminated. Other functions and variables, that
were declared obsolete since Emacs 23, have been added back, in were declared obsolete since Emacs 24, have been added back, in
preparation for releasing Emacs 23 in some distant past. preparation for releasing Emacs 24 in some distant past.
@end itemize @end itemize