bug#62720: 29.0.60; Not easy at all to upgrade :core packages like Eglot

[Eli Zaretskii]

> From: Philip Kaludercic <philipk@posteo.net>
> Cc: João Távora <joaotavora@gmail.com>,
>   monnier@iro.umontreal.ca,
>   62720@debbugs.gnu.org,  larsi@gnus.org
> Date: Wed, 12 Apr 2023 12:00:09 +0000
> 
> > Yes, if Philip and Stefan don't object.  But, since there will be a
> > command for updating core packages, doesn't this go against your
> > desire not to change the UX?
> 
> After thinking about this for a bit, I think that the right approach is
> to use package-install instead of writing a separate command.  After
> all, this will make the behaviour of package-install consistent with
> that of the package menu.

Is this for master or for the release branch?

And I thought we all agreed built-in packages need special treatment
anyway, didn't we?  Then why having a separate command is not a
natural next step?

> It might work but it should be tested somewhat thoroughly before the
> patch is applied.  In the meantime, I just finished a similar approach
> that does not modify `package-installed-p', but just adds another
> utility function:

A new utility function is fine by me, even if this is e branch.  But I
don't quite understand how this is supposed to work in package-install
to allow updating built-in packages, and do that in a way that will
not touch the existing code for non-built-in packages in significant
ways (assuming you propose this from the release branch).  Can you
elaborate on that?

> +(defun package-core-p (package)
> +  "Return non-nil the built-in version of PACKAGE is loaded."

Didn't you say the "core" terminology was confusing people?

> +  (let ((package (if (package-desc-p package)
> +                     (package-desc-name package)
> +                   package)))
> +    (and (assq package (package--alist))
> +         (package-built-in-p package))))

It sounds like this doesn't check whether a package is "core", it
checks whether it's built-in and can be updated?  So maybe the name
should be changed to reflect that?  And the doc string as well (what
it means by "is loaded")?

Thanks.