bug#21391: 24.5; `thing-at-point' should return a string

[Tino Calancha]

On Fri, 11 Nov 2016, Eli Zaretskii wrote:

> > Cc: 21391@debbugs.gnu.org
> > From: Dmitry Gutov <dgutov@yandex.ru>
> > Date: Fri, 11 Nov 2016 16:46:14 +0200
> >
> > On 11.11.2016 16:35, Eli Zaretskii wrote:
> >
> > > > The current implementation makes the things harder to understand.
> > > > Currently one user need to read the source code to know the actual
> > > > type this function returns.
> > >
> > > If that's a problem, let's improve the doc string (and the manual, if
> > > needed) to make this more clear.
> >
> > Improve how? By saying that the function behaves in a variety of ways,
> > solely depending on which `thing' it is passed?
>
> Improve it by describing whatever it is that is evident from the code
> that is not evident from the doc string.
>
> > That won't make it much clearer, or make it easier to follow code that
> > uses `thing-at-point'.
>
> I don't understand why.  It's not like we don't have other functions
> that can return different kinds of objects.
Yes, and it's a good thing when it results in a simpler code.
I don't think in this case it makes a simpler code or a code
easier to follow, kinda the opposite.
I don't think we actually need a polymorphic function here with the 
bizarre behaviour pointed out in my previous email.  Instead of document
its counter-intuitive behaviour, i would go for fixing the function to do
just one obvious thing.  It would save the users time reading the manual.
It's a change for better, a good thing.  We will have a better 
function.  Everyone will be happy with this.