[dmethvin]

If we remove the blank lines and comments, would the line count be less staggering? By that measure we definitely shouldn't include Closure Compiler annotation comments since they add lines. For better or worse, we've focused on min-gzip size as a measure.

JavaScript doesn't have a formal notion of a module. What we're referring to here is the ability to exclude some chunk of functionality from jQuery and know that, internally, jQuery does not require it. We cannot know whether other code on the page requires it.

> optional code should be the norm

Is there an easy way to know what is "optional" code when including third-party plugins, short of analyzing all the code in advance? That's what Closure Compiler AO does, but it is not for the weak.

> There is still a great deal of work to be done before "modular" is a fair term to apply to the API.

If you've got some ideas we're open to suggestions.