Re: Selection changes

[Richard Stallman]

    I've changed the way Emacs interacts with the X clipboard and selection,
    to bring it in line with how other X applications behave.  For most
    users, the main visible change is that `kill' and `yank' now interact
    with the clipboard.  One advantage of this change is that the
    Cut/Copy/Paste menu bar items are just the usual C-w/M-w/C-y commands.

I have a vague recollection that it worked this way long ago and it
caused problems for users.  That was in the 90s and I don't remember
details.