GNU bug report logs - #66946
30.0.50; Elisp manual section 17.4 describes an obsolete variable

Previous Next

To add a comment to this bug, you must first unarchive it, by sending
a message to control AT debbugs.gnu.org, with unarchive 66946 in the body.
You can then email your comments to 66946 AT debbugs.gnu.org in the normal way.

Toggle the display of automated, internal messages from the tracker.

Message #5 received at submit <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Ihor Radchenko <yantar92 <at> posteo.net>
To: bug-gnu-emacs <at> gnu.org
Subject: 30.0.50; Elisp manual section 17.4 describes an obsolete variable
Date: Sun, 05 Nov 2023 09:37:01 +0000

Hi,

In Elisp manual, "17.4 Dynamic Loading of Individual Functions"
describes `byte-compile-dynamic' variable.

However, according to the docstring, this variable is no longer useful

    byte-compile-dynamic is a variable defined in bytecomp.el.
    
    This variable is obsolete since 27.1; not worthwhile any more.
    
    Value
    nil

It looks like the corresponding section of the manual is now obsolete
and should probably be removed.

In GNU Emacs 30.0.50 (build 30, x86_64-pc-linux-gnu, GTK+ Version
 3.24.38, cairo version 1.18.0) of 2023-10-28 built on localhost
Repository revision: b38c7d6e64423120ae1f1bc3ed01dce88c77b75e
Repository branch: master
Windowing system distributor 'The X.Org Foundation', version 11.0.12101009
System Description: Gentoo Linux

-- 
Ihor Radchenko // yantar92,
Org mode contributor,
Learn more about Org mode at <https://orgmode.org/>.
Support Org development at <https://liberapay.com/org-mode>,
or support my work at <https://liberapay.com/yantar92>

Message #8 received at 66946 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Stefan Kangas <stefankangas <at> gmail.com>
To: Ihor Radchenko <yantar92 <at> posteo.net>, 66946 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Cc: Stefan Monnier <monnier <at> iro.umontreal.ca>
Subject: Re: bug#66946: 30.0.50; Elisp manual section 17.4 describes an
 obsolete variable
Date: Sun, 5 Nov 2023 06:23:59 -0800

Ihor Radchenko <yantar92 <at> posteo.net> writes:

> In Elisp manual, "17.4 Dynamic Loading of Individual Functions"
> describes `byte-compile-dynamic' variable.
>
> However, according to the docstring, this variable is no longer useful
>
>     byte-compile-dynamic is a variable defined in bytecomp.el.
>
>     This variable is obsolete since 27.1; not worthwhile any more.
>
>     Value
>     nil
>
> It looks like the corresponding section of the manual is now obsolete
> and should probably be removed.

The manual says:

       _Experience shows that using dynamic function loading provides
    benefits that are hardly measurable, so this feature is deprecated
    since Emacs 27.1._

Stefan M, any comments here?  Is it time to actually mark this stuff
obsolete?

Message #11 received at 66946 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Stefan Monnier <monnier <at> iro.umontreal.ca>
To: Stefan Kangas <stefankangas <at> gmail.com>
Cc: 66946 <at> debbugs.gnu.org, Ihor Radchenko <yantar92 <at> posteo.net>
Subject: Re: bug#66946: 30.0.50; Elisp manual section 17.4 describes an
 obsolete variable
Date: Sun, 05 Nov 2023 18:24:13 -0500

>> In Elisp manual, "17.4 Dynamic Loading of Individual Functions"
>> describes `byte-compile-dynamic' variable.
>>
>> However, according to the docstring, this variable is no longer useful
>>
>>     byte-compile-dynamic is a variable defined in bytecomp.el.
>>
>>     This variable is obsolete since 27.1; not worthwhile any more.
>>
>>     Value
>>     nil
>>
>> It looks like the corresponding section of the manual is now obsolete
>> and should probably be removed.
>
> The manual says:
>
>        _Experience shows that using dynamic function loading provides
>     benefits that are hardly measurable, so this feature is deprecated
>     since Emacs 27.1._
>
> Stefan M, any comments here?

Nothing specific, no.

> Is it time to actually mark this stuff obsolete?

Hmm... isn't it marked obsolete already?
Or did you mean to ask if it's time to throw away the corresponding code?


        Stefan

Message #14 received at 66946 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Stefan Kangas <stefankangas <at> gmail.com>
To: Stefan Monnier <monnier <at> iro.umontreal.ca>
Cc: 66946 <at> debbugs.gnu.org, Ihor Radchenko <yantar92 <at> posteo.net>
Subject: Re: bug#66946: 30.0.50; Elisp manual section 17.4 describes an
 obsolete variable
Date: Sun, 5 Nov 2023 16:21:30 -0800

Stefan Monnier <monnier <at> iro.umontreal.ca> writes:

>> The manual says:
>>
>>        _Experience shows that using dynamic function loading provides
>>     benefits that are hardly measurable, so this feature is deprecated
>>     since Emacs 27.1._
>>
>> Stefan M, any comments here?
>
> Nothing specific, no.
>
>> Is it time to actually mark this stuff obsolete?
>
> Hmm... isn't it marked obsolete already?
> Or did you mean to ask if it's time to throw away the corresponding code?

You're right.  Not sure how I missed that...

I guess then the only question is if it's worth keeping it in the manual.

Message #17 received at 66946 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Stefan Kangas <stefankangas <at> gmail.com>
To: Stefan Monnier <monnier <at> iro.umontreal.ca>
Cc: 66946 <at> debbugs.gnu.org, Ihor Radchenko <yantar92 <at> posteo.net>
Subject: Re: bug#66946: 30.0.50; Elisp manual section 17.4 describes an
 obsolete variable
Date: Thu, 11 Jan 2024 13:52:45 -0800

Stefan Kangas <stefankangas <at> gmail.com> writes:

> Stefan Monnier <monnier <at> iro.umontreal.ca> writes:
>
>>> The manual says:
>>>
>>>        _Experience shows that using dynamic function loading provides
>>>     benefits that are hardly measurable, so this feature is deprecated
>>>     since Emacs 27.1._
>>>
>>> Stefan M, any comments here?
>>
>> Nothing specific, no.
>>
>>> Is it time to actually mark this stuff obsolete?
>>
>> Hmm... isn't it marked obsolete already?
>> Or did you mean to ask if it's time to throw away the corresponding code?
>
> You're right.  Not sure how I missed that...

Taking another look at this.

Why not throw away the code if it's hardly measurable?  We could make it
a no-op in Emacs 30.1, and then just remove it from the manual.  It's
already been obsolete for three major versions by then.

Message #20 received at 66946 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Ihor Radchenko <yantar92 <at> posteo.net>
To: Stefan Kangas <stefankangas <at> gmail.com>
Cc: 66946 <at> debbugs.gnu.org, Stefan Monnier <monnier <at> iro.umontreal.ca>
Subject: Re: bug#66946: 30.0.50; Elisp manual section 17.4 describes an
 obsolete variable
Date: Mon, 12 Aug 2024 06:18:18 +0000

Stefan Kangas <stefankangas <at> gmail.com> writes:

> Why not throw away the code if it's hardly measurable?  We could make it
> a no-op in Emacs 30.1, and then just remove it from the manual.  It's
> already been obsolete for three major versions by then.

Just bumping this thread, so that it is not lost ahead of the release.

-- 
Ihor Radchenko // yantar92,
Org mode contributor,
Learn more about Org mode at <https://orgmode.org/>.
Support Org development at <https://liberapay.com/org-mode>,
or support my work at <https://liberapay.com/yantar92>

Message #23 received at 66946 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Eli Zaretskii <eliz <at> gnu.org>
To: Ihor Radchenko <yantar92 <at> posteo.net>
Cc: 66946 <at> debbugs.gnu.org, stefankangas <at> gmail.com, monnier <at> iro.umontreal.ca
Subject: Re: bug#66946: 30.0.50;
 Elisp manual section 17.4 describes an obsolete variable
Date: Sat, 17 Aug 2024 12:39:57 +0300

> Cc: 66946 <at> debbugs.gnu.org, Stefan Monnier <monnier <at> iro.umontreal.ca>
> From: Ihor Radchenko <yantar92 <at> posteo.net>
> Date: Mon, 12 Aug 2024 06:18:18 +0000
> 
> Stefan Kangas <stefankangas <at> gmail.com> writes:
> 
> > Why not throw away the code if it's hardly measurable?  We could make it
> > a no-op in Emacs 30.1, and then just remove it from the manual.  It's
> > already been obsolete for three major versions by then.
> 
> Just bumping this thread, so that it is not lost ahead of the release.

I think we lost focus and context.  What exactly is being proposed now
for the upcoming Emacs 30 release?

Message #28 received at 66946-done <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Stefan Kangas <stefankangas <at> gmail.com>
To: Eli Zaretskii <eliz <at> gnu.org>, Ihor Radchenko <yantar92 <at> posteo.net>
Cc: 66946-done <at> debbugs.gnu.org, monnier <at> iro.umontreal.ca
Subject: Re: bug#66946: 30.0.50; Elisp manual section 17.4 describes an
 obsolete variable
Date: Sat, 17 Aug 2024 05:53:43 -0700

Eli Zaretskii <eliz <at> gnu.org> writes:

>> Cc: 66946 <at> debbugs.gnu.org, Stefan Monnier <monnier <at> iro.umontreal.ca>
>> From: Ihor Radchenko <yantar92 <at> posteo.net>
>> Date: Mon, 12 Aug 2024 06:18:18 +0000
>>
>> Stefan Kangas <stefankangas <at> gmail.com> writes:
>>
>> > Why not throw away the code if it's hardly measurable?  We could make it
>> > a no-op in Emacs 30.1, and then just remove it from the manual.  It's
>> > already been obsolete for three major versions by then.
>>
>> Just bumping this thread, so that it is not lost ahead of the release.
>
> I think we lost focus and context.  What exactly is being proposed now
> for the upcoming Emacs 30 release?

I think the idea was to remove the obsolete variable
`byte-compile-dynamic` from the manual.  This has already been done in
emacs-30.

The variable is still there but is marked obsolete and documented as
having no effect.  It will get removed in some future release of Emacs;
there is no particular rush with deleting it.

I'm therefore boldly closing this bug report.

Previous Next

GNU bug tracking system
Copyright (C) 1999 Darren O. Benham, 1997,2003 nCipher Corporation Ltd, 1994-97 Ian Jackson.