However, there is another small issue here: Isn't there a better way to locally
install an updated version of an emacs package that comes with a centrally
managed OS? In my case, there is an enterprise-wide installation of emacs that I
cannot change - I had to ask a system administrator to make the filename change
for me.
Well, yes; many people do that. You just install your files in a local directory (I use ~/.emacs.d/, for instance ~/.emacs.d/org-6.17c) and ask Emacs to use it; in your .emacs.el:
(add-to-list 'load-path "~/.emacs.d/org-6.17c/lisp") (require 'org-install)
Automatically, Emacs loads the one you specified instead of the global one. I think it is because add-to-list adds elements at the beginning of the list, therefore with more priority. Check: C-h v load-path RET
I never had the problem of a global file overwriting my settings; Emacs behaves very well with that.
-- Daniel
I checked my load-path and the local site was at the end of the list.
What I have in my .emacs is similar to yours, but not quite the same: