Hi,

The new function `format-seconds' that time-date.el in the Gnus
CVS trunk provides now uses the `assoc-string' function, which
is not available in Emacs 21 and XEmacs.

  While compiling the end of the data in file gnus/lisp/time-date.el:
    ** The function `assoc-string' is not known to be defined.
  Wrote /tmp/.yamaoka/gnus/lisp/time-date.elc

It is not really a problem because Gnus currently does not use
`format-seconds', however someone might use it in the future
somewhere in Gnus.  What do you think we should do now?

1. Provide `time-date-assoc-string' in time-date.el in both the
   Emacs trunk and the Gnus trunk, and make `format-seconds' use
   it.  The function definition of `time-date-assoc-string' is
   attached below.

2. Similar to 1. but do it in only the Gnus trunk.

3. Replace `assoc-string' with `gnus-assoc-string' in time-date.el
   when compiling Gnus.  It does not need to modify time-date.el
   and I verified it can be done.  However it seems to be risky.
   (It is to make dgnushack.el provide the `assoc-string' macro
   which uses `gnus-assoc-string' provided in gnus-util.el .)

4. Do nothing, but don't use `format-seconds' in Gnus from now on.