Re: redisplay system of emacs

[Eli Zaretskii]

> Date: Wed, 27 Jan 2010 16:19:09 -0800 (PST)
> From: "alin.s" <address@hidden>
> Cc: 
> 
> 
> I was wondering if it is possible to change the system of redisplay of emacs
> to a less obfuscated one.
> 
> The current system , based on redisplay internal, for me it is very
> obfuscated.

It's true that the code is quite arcane, and in a couple of places
barely maintainable, even though it was almost completely overhauled
just 10 years ago.

The high level of the display engine is very simple and can be
explained in a few simple sentences, but the details...

> It could be possible to adopt a more clear system and keep all the other
> functionalism ?

I'm not sure.  Somebody should propose a design, and then we could
discuss it.  But designing and implementing a completely new display
engine that supports everything Emacs supports now is not an easy
task, so it will take a highly motivated and able individual to make
that happen.

> Could it be possible to take off all the redisplay and create a standardized
> system of redisplay, that everybody can understand quickly? Everybody can
> write an add-on for Mozilla. I do not know how redisplay of Mozilla works,
> but as time as new add ons appear every day, that means that the system is
> very standardized and easy to learn.

Last time I looked, Mozilla wasn't anywhere close to supporting the
features Emacs has in its display engine.