The following message is a courtesy copy of an article that has been posted to comp.emacs.xemacs as well. Alan Mackenzie<none(a)example.invalid> wrote: >>> In my init.el file I try to enable default font-locking as follows: >>> (setq font-lock-auto-fontify t) > >> (require 'font-lock) too. > > YES! YES! YES! > It works! If an Emacs expert can't turn automatic Font Lock on and has to ask in comp.emacs.xemacs then it is too hard/fucked up. Infact, the default value of `font-lock-auto-fontify' is t, but that doesn't do anything. It seems the easiest way for a newbie to get it is to turn it off then back on again from the Options menu then save that customization. They would have to be a total headbanger or completely desperate to try that. Perhaps the appropriate defcustoms should have :set methods or :requires or something. Maybe this is important enough to special case in startup.el. But it is galling that a clued-up user will take a squizz whether "Automatic Syntax Highlighting" is on according to the Options menu checkbox and via C-h v font-lock-auto-fontify or M-x customize-variable font-lock-auto-fontify and not realise he is being lied to.