Jan Vroonhof <vroonhof(a)math.ethz.ch&gt; writes: Indeed, it is. Okay, I withdraw the above sentence ("I don't see the point..."). But I maintain that the fact that the features are named the same and similar in nature is bound to create confusion among the (Lisp) users. Consider: if we are adding the DEFAULT argument to read-string, read-command, and read-variable, which one do we add? Obviously, we're adding our "returned-value-if-you-just-press-RET" version of the DEFAULT argument. Don't you think that this creates a dangerously silent and subtle incompatibility with FSF? Code that says (read-string "prompt: " nil nil "default") will do one thing in FSF, and something else in XEmacs. All subtly and silently. I agree.