Small self-contained helper library for Gnus (was: Simplify code for tooltips in menus)

[Reiner Steib <reinersteib+gmane@imap.cc>]

On Tue, Jan 06 2004, Lars Magne Ingebrigtsen wrote:
               ^^^^
[ See http://thread.gmane.org/v9hdzfu64d.fsf%40marauder.physik.uni-ulm.de
  for the complete thread. ]

> Reiner Steib <4.uce.03.r.s@nurfuerspam.de> writes:

>> On Fri, Jan 02 2004, Lars Magne Ingebrigtsen wrote:
>>> But I've sometimes wished that there was a file in the Gnus
>>> distribution that just had self-contained little helper functions and
>>> macros (like this one).  misc.el or something.  h4x0r.el.

>> I think we should do this.  Could you suggest a name and kick-start it
>> (add to CVS, write something about its purpose [1])?
>>
>> What about the name-space (package prefix)?  Should the helper
>> functions start with "gnus-"?  If not, it would be easier to find real
>> dependencies packages or libraries that are supposed to be independent
>> from Gnus, like `message.el', `mm-*.el', `mml-*.el', what-else?  But
>> OTOH, a different name-space would need a lot of renaming in the Gnus
>> code.
>
> Let's see...  there's already a mm-util.el file, and a mail-utils.el
> file...   How about nnutil.el?  

AFAICS nn*.el is for Gnus back end functionality.

> Or how about just stuffing more of these functions/macros into
> mm-util?  It looks like it only has general utility functions and
> stuff, but quite a few compatibility functions, too.  Which might or
> might not be a plus.

I'd rather create a new small self-contained library.  Most of the
helper functions have nothing to do with MIME so it's not useful to
load additional MIME functions.

The name of the library and the prefix for functions and variables
should _not_ be "gnus-" (or "mm-", "nn-" or "message-").  This will
make it easier to detect real Gnus dependencies in the MIME library,
in Message or other parts of Gnus which are supposed to be independent
from Gnus (see texi/gnus-coding.texi).

I intend to install such a self-contained library within the next days
because I need it to improve the Gnus and Message toolbars.  I'm not
sure about the name and the prefix yet.  Maybe "gmu.el" --- Gnus,
Message/MIME Utils --- and "gmu-" as a prefix.  Are there any other
suggestions for the name and the prefix?  The prefix should be quite
short and not in use in other packages upto now.

Bye, Reiner.
-- 
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