bug#22025: Emacs 25 corrupts Emacs 24 .emacs.desktop.

[Eli Zaretskii]

> Date: Fri, 27 Nov 2015 09:47:18 +0000
> Cc: 22025@debbugs.gnu.org
> From: Alan Mackenzie <acm@muc.de>
> 
> > This would be a nice enhancement, but it certainly isn't a bug in my
> > book.
> 
> I couldn't disagree more.  Users should be free to update to Emacs 25,
> but it shouldn't be for us to force them.

??? How's this forcing an upgrade?  The issue won't exist until the
user, out of their free will, starts Emacs 25.

> I've just lost half a morning restoring my .desktop to the earlier
> format.  Most users wouldn't be able to do this.

I'm sorry for the time you've lost.  I've learned a long time ago to
back up my desktop file each time I experiment with a different
version of Emacs without using the -Q switch.

> I think we are enormously cavalier with the .desktop file - no backup of
> any type (such as .emacs.desktop~) is kept, and should there be trouble
> reading .desktop, it is difficult to exit Emacs without having this
> .desktop overwritten.

Maybe having backups for it would be a good and safe measure, indeed.
At least as an option.  Does anyone see any reasons why not?

> > Of course, if making that happen is relatively easy, it would be good
> > to have such a compatibility mode.  Patches welcome.
> 
> I will work on this.

Thanks.