--- a/src/redisplay.c	Mon Aug 13 08:46:35 2007 +0200
+++ b/src/redisplay.c	Mon Aug 13 08:46:56 2007 +0200
@@ -473,6 +473,7 @@
 Lisp_Object Vuse_left_overflow, Vuse_right_overflow;
 Lisp_Object Vtext_cursor_visible_p;
 
+int column_number_start_at_one;
 
 /***************************************************************************/
 /*									   */
@@ -5699,7 +5700,7 @@
       /* print the current column */
     case 'c':
       {
-	int col = current_column (b);
+	int col = current_column (b) + (column_number_start_at_one != 0);
 	int temp = col;
 	int size = 2;
 	char *buf;
@@ -8278,6 +8279,11 @@
 See `set-window-redisplay-end-trigger'.
 */ );
   Vredisplay_end_trigger_functions = Qnil;
+
+  DEFVAR_BOOL ("column-number-start-at-one", &column_number_start_at_one /*
+Non-nil means column display number starts at 1.
+*/ );
+  column_number_start_at_one = 1;
 }
 
 void
@@ -8377,4 +8383,5 @@
 				      text_cursor_visible_p),
 			 text_cursor_visible_p_changed,
 			 0, 0);
+
 }