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From: rms@PREP.AI.MIT.EDU (Richard M. Stallman)
Newsgroups: comp.emacs
Subject: concerning Gnu Emacs backup files
Message-ID: <8701050256.AA05804@EDDIE.MIT.EDU>
Date: Sun, 4-Jan-87 22:07:48 EST
Article-I.D.: EDDIE.8701050256.AA05804
Posted: Sun Jan  4 22:07:48 1987
Date-Received: Mon, 5-Jan-87 01:36:03 EST
Sender: nessus@mit-eddie.MIT.EDU
Lines: 10

The purpose of backup files is to stay around for a while so you can
back out of mistakes.  Backup files are not out of date until months
have gone by and it is no longer likely you will come across a bug.

If you don't like this feature, just turn it off.  Set
make-backup-files to nil.

Making find delete everyone's backup files is horrible!  Even if you
don't want backup files, someone else on the system probably does.
Just delete your own.