On 30 Oct 2001, Jean-Marc Lasgouttes wrote: > >>>>> "Allan" == Allan Rae <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: > > Allan> Can someone explain to me in words of one syllable or less why > Allan> it is a good thing not to deselect after someone has issued a > Allan> copied command? > > The real question is to know why you want to deselect. Doing a copy > does not alter the text in any way, so I do not see why keeping the > selection might harm in terms of stability.
Copy is an action taking an arguement (or parameter if you prefer that term). The arguement, in this case a selection, can be released once used -- that is, deselected. As you and others insist it can also be left selected. Neither case will get universal approval. AFA stability is concerned, any change to a stable system will cause a temporary instability. This is a fact. Many people view temporary instability as a transition state -- for example, from a standing position lift one foot in preparation to start walking: you have just caused a temporary instability which you have had to balance. Now, some may argue that LyX is currently _not_ a stable system. So another action causing an additional instability could cause a collapse unless the root cause of the existing instabilities is addressed -- this is the equivalent of going to a LyX Developers Meeting and drinking the bar dry and then attempting to stand on one leg. So do you want to attempt to fix something which isn't causing a problem but may introduce additional instability or do you want to address areas which are actually causing instabilities? > What we have here is only a problem of user interface. Nothing more, > nothing less. Exactly, and it is not affecting the ability of users to actually do work with the application. Have you ever heard the quip "rearranging deck-chairs on the Titanic" before? > Also, if we keep the selection, I do not know what sick > mind could think that this looks like a selection, but should not > really be one; you have a selection, and if you type anything, it will > replace it if and only if one has 'auto region delete' set in > preferences. > > I think you are deliberately trying to obscure the issue to hide the > fact that you introduced a stupid feature. You may have noticed from the discussion between John and I that "stupid" is a relative term. Some things he likes I consider stupid and vice versa. Leaving a selection selected after I've copied it is one such stupid thing from my point of view. IIRC I was still very much in the "fix segfaults" mode of my involvement in the LyX project when that patch was _submitted, discussed and accepted_. Only one person had write access to the tree in those days and all patches were submitted to the list for discussion. You had a chance to stop it getting into the tree in the first place or getting it reverted at anytime in the past 3 or so years. I think you are deliberately trying to obscure the issue to hide the fact that you have been asleep at the keyboard and that is why you didn't notice the change until now. Allan. (ARRae)
