bug#1305: All code that currently beeps should use visual bell instead

[Dmitry Gutov]

On 29.04.2021 22:48, Gregory Heytings wrote:
> > > and a new prettier bell function, which would be the default
> >
> > Another option would be to use your newer bell on MacOS (which has 
> > universally negative feedback), but keep the current one on GNU/Linux 
> > and Windows
>
> IMO a default that gives the same result across platforms would be much 
> better.

In theory, yes. In practice, I like the current GNU/Linux's default 
better than your proposal. We could work on converging on some version 
that satisfies all, of course.

But only replacing MacOS's bell would let us get around that.

> I'm not sure what you mean by "the current one on GNU/Linux and 
> Windows": the current default is an audible bell.  If you mean "make the 
> current visible-bell the default",

That one, yes, sorry.

> Would you imagine such a behavior in Visual 
> Studio, Sublime or Atom?

Briefly flashing some UI elements in a neutral fashion, without extra 
colors that may look out of place? Perhaps the implementation is a 
little old-fashioned, but the idea is solid, IMHO.

So from my POV, your proposal is not at that level of polish of VS 
Code/Atom either.

That's also why I asked whether somebody knows a corresponding UI 
element/animation in either of these editors we could, uh, "get inspired 
by".

> > Windows (maybe? very little has been said here about whether it's 
> > better or worse).
>
> I can't really say whether it's better or worse, with visible-bell t on 
> Windows the frame briefly flashes (with the FlashWindow function), a bit 
> like a flash in a terminal.  Among the three visible-bell t behaviors, 
> it's the best one IMO, in the sense that it's visible and not intrusive.

Is it possible to replicate on other systems?

> Not sure this is relevant to the current discussion, but: 99% GNU/Linux 
> (Debian), 0.95% macOS, 0.05% Windows.

Of course it is relevant. If you were indeed a predominantly MacOS user, 
we could agree to split the difference. Apparently not, though.