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(efaq)Setting up a customization file

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How do I set up a `.emacs' file properly?
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   Note: Init File

   In general, new Emacs users should not have `.emacs' files, because
it causes confusing non-standard behavior.  Then they send questions to
<help-gnu-emacs@gnu.org> asking why Emacs isn't behaving as documented.

   Beginning with version 20.1, Emacs includes the new Customize
facility, which can be invoked using `M-x customize <RET>'.  This
allows users who are unfamiliar with Emacs Lisp to modify their
`.emacs' files in a relatively straightforward way, using menus rather
than Lisp code.  Not all packages support Customize as of this writing,
but the number is growing fairly steadily.

   While Customize might indeed make it easier to configure Emacs,
consider taking a bit of time to learn Emacs Lisp and modifying your
`.emacs' directly.  Simple configuration options are described rather
completely in Note: Init File, for users interested
in performing frequently requested, basic tasks.