Path: csiph.com!x330-a1.tempe.blueboxinc.net!newsfeed.hal-mli.net!feeder3.hal-mli.net!newsfeed.hal-mli.net!feeder1.hal-mli.net!news-transit.tcx.org.uk!rt.uk.eu.org!newsfeed.xs4all.nl!newsfeed6.news.xs4all.nl!xs4all!newsgate.cistron.nl!newsgate.news.xs4all.nl!post.news.xs4all.nl!not-for-mail Return-Path: X-Original-To: python-list@python.org Delivered-To: python-list@mail.python.org X-Spam-Status: OK 0.002 X-Spam-Evidence: '*H*': 1.00; '*S*': 0.00; 'bug': 0.02; 'wiki': 0.02; 'function,': 0.07; 'matters,': 0.09; '-tkc': 0.16; 'finney': 0.16; 'from:addr:python.list': 0.16; 'from:addr:tim.thechases.com': 0.16; 'from:name:tim chase': 0.16; 'message- id:@tim.thechases.com': 0.16; 'received:70.251': 0.16; 'received:dsl.rcsntx.swbell.net': 0.16; 'received:rcsntx.swbell.net': 0.16; 'received:swbell.net': 0.16; 'route.': 0.16; 'cc:addr:python-list': 0.16; 'wrote:': 0.18; 'cc:no real name:2**0': 0.20; "doesn't": 0.22; 'header:In-Reply- To:1': 0.22; 'changed': 0.23; 'cc:2**0': 0.24; 'writes:': 0.25; 'helpful': 0.26; "i'm": 0.26; 'all,': 0.28; 'concern': 0.28; 'cc:addr:python.org': 0.29; 'correct': 0.29; 'edited': 0.30; 'subject:?': 0.31; 'header:User-Agent:1': 0.33; 'actually': 0.33; 'there': 0.33; 'decide': 0.33; 'anything': 0.34; 'here,': 0.35; 'file': 0.36; 'page': 0.37; 'passed': 0.37; 'some': 0.38; 'should': 0.39; "it's": 0.40; 'address': 0.61; 'anything.': 0.71; 'anything,': 0.73; 'cameron': 0.73; 'numerous': 0.73; 'change?': 0.84; 'subject: $': 0.97 Date: Fri, 23 Dec 2011 06:28:26 -0600 From: Tim Chase User-Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (X11; U; Linux x86_64; en-US; rv:1.9.2.24) Gecko/20111120 Icedove/3.1.16 MIME-Version: 1.0 To: Ben Finney Subject: Re: Idiom for shelling out to $EDITOR/$PAGER? References: <877h1nn7ej.fsf@benfinney.id.au> <87wr9nlcgk.fsf@benfinney.id.au> In-Reply-To: <87wr9nlcgk.fsf@benfinney.id.au> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8; format=flowed Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit X-AntiAbuse: This header was added to track abuse, please include it with any abuse report X-AntiAbuse: Primary Hostname - boston.accountservergroup.com X-AntiAbuse: Original Domain - python.org X-AntiAbuse: Originator/Caller UID/GID - [47 12] / [47 12] X-AntiAbuse: Sender Address Domain - tim.thechases.com X-Source: X-Source-Args: X-Source-Dir: Cc: python-list@python.org X-BeenThere: python-list@python.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.12 Precedence: list List-Id: General discussion list for the Python programming language List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , Newsgroups: comp.lang.python Message-ID: Lines: 28 NNTP-Posting-Host: 2001:888:2000:d::a6 X-Trace: 1324643312 news.xs4all.nl 6898 [2001:888:2000:d::a6]:49165 X-Complaints-To: abuse@xs4all.nl Xref: x330-a1.tempe.blueboxinc.net comp.lang.python:17797 On 12/23/11 06:06, Ben Finney wrote: > Cameron Simpson writes: >> On 23Dec2011 17:12, Ben Finney >> wrote: | That doesn't address the concern Tim raised: did >> the user actually do | anything, did the file change? >> >> I'm not sure it matters. > > I know of numerous applications where it matters, spcifically > ones which decide what to do with the edited text. Including > “submit a bug report” and “submit a wiki page edit” and “send > an email message”. > > If the buffer was not edited, the user has most likely changed > their mind about editing at all, and there are many > applications where the correct default action differes > depending on whether the user actually changed anything in the > text. Yes, Ben's understanding is correct here, that for some of my use-cases, it's helpful to know if the user did anything. The application can then decide whether it should use the original data it passed to the function, or whether it should go some "abort what you're doing" route. -tkc