As mentioned in https://marc.info/?l=openbsd-tech&m=150401359712984&w=2 emacs-usemeta isn't used since some time already. I have a diff that just hides the flag but I changed my mind. The people who use the saved output of "set +o" from an earlier ksh might be negatively affected, but that's a bit far-fetched.
So here's the simple diff. ok? The first hunk also deletes a useless comment. Index: emacs.c =================================================================== RCS file: /d/cvs/src/bin/ksh/emacs.c,v retrieving revision 1.71 diff -u -p -r1.71 emacs.c --- emacs.c 29 Aug 2017 23:04:50 -0000 1.71 +++ emacs.c 30 Aug 2017 09:33:22 -0000 @@ -1452,10 +1452,6 @@ x_init_emacs(void) ainit(AEDIT); x_nextcmd = -1; - /* XXX unused */ - Flag(FEMACSUSEMETA) = 1; - - /* new keybinding stuff */ TAILQ_INIT(&kblist); /* man page order */ Index: ksh.1 =================================================================== RCS file: /d/cvs/src/bin/ksh/ksh.1,v retrieving revision 1.193 diff -u -p -r1.193 ksh.1 --- ksh.1 19 Aug 2017 06:19:42 -0000 1.193 +++ ksh.1 30 Aug 2017 09:33:28 -0000 @@ -3587,9 +3587,6 @@ character. .It Ic emacs Enable BRL emacs-like command-line editing (interactive shells only); see .Sx Emacs editing mode . -.It Ic emacs-usemeta -In emacs command-line editing, use the 8th bit as meta (^[) prefix. -This is the default. .It Ic gmacs Enable gmacs-like command-line editing (interactive shells only). Currently identical to emacs editing except that transpose (^T) acts slightly Index: misc.c =================================================================== RCS file: /d/cvs/src/bin/ksh/misc.c,v retrieving revision 1.57 diff -u -p -r1.57 misc.c --- misc.c 4 Jul 2017 11:46:15 -0000 1.57 +++ misc.c 30 Aug 2017 09:33:33 -0000 @@ -129,7 +129,6 @@ const struct option options[] = { { "csh-history", 0, OF_ANY }, /* non-standard */ #ifdef EMACS { "emacs", 0, OF_ANY }, - { "emacs-usemeta", 0, OF_ANY }, /* non-standard */ #endif { "errexit", 'e', OF_ANY }, #ifdef EMACS Index: sh.h =================================================================== RCS file: /d/cvs/src/bin/ksh/sh.h,v retrieving revision 1.61 diff -u -p -r1.61 sh.h --- sh.h 4 Jul 2017 11:46:15 -0000 1.61 +++ sh.h 30 Aug 2017 09:33:37 -0000 @@ -139,7 +139,6 @@ enum sh_flag { FCSHHISTORY, /* csh-style history enabled */ #ifdef EMACS FEMACS, /* emacs command editing */ - FEMACSUSEMETA, /* use 8th bit as meta */ #endif FERREXIT, /* -e: quit on error */ #ifdef EMACS -- jca | PGP : 0x1524E7EE / 5135 92C1 AD36 5293 2BDF DDCC 0DFA 74AE 1524 E7EE