Didier Verna <verna(a)inf.enst.fr&gt; writes: Try M-x find-function RET load-user-init-file RET `load-user-init-file' is a compiled Lisp function -- loaded from "/scratch/vroonhof/cvs/xemacs-20/lisp/startup.elc" (load-user-init-file INIT-FILE-USER) Documentation: This function actually reads the init files. First try .xemacs/init, then try .emacs, but only load one of the two. ^^^^^ ^^^^^^^^^^^^ | +---- !!!!!!!!!!! and (defcustom custom-file (if (boundp 'user-init-directory) (concat "~" init-file-user user-init-directory "options.el") "~/.emacs") "File used for storing customization information.\n If you change this from the default \"~/.emacs\" you need to\nexplicitly load that file for the settings to take effect." :type 'file :group 'customize) Note the wrong docstring.