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From: peter@ora.UUCP (Peter Mui)
Newsgroups: comp.emacs,gnu.emacs
Subject: Book on Emacs Summary
Keywords: emacs, documentation, book
Message-ID: <1576@ora.UUCP>
Date: 22 Jun 89 02:57:19 GMT
Distribution: na
Organization: O'Reilly & Associates, Inc., Newton, MA
Lines: 42

Thanks to all of you (actually, 32 of you) who responded to my
questions about writing an emacs book.  Here's a summary of the
more discussed points:
 
1) GNU Emacs was the overwhelming favorite.  
After GNU, uEmacs, Freemacs, and Jove were most often mentioned, in
that order.  Unipress (Gosling) Emacs was surprisingly absent.
 
2) There were a large number of "don't bother"s who felt that the
existing documentation, combined with the on-line tutorials and
on-line help, was quite adequate.
 
3) Some areas noted for improved documentation:
 
	writing macro extensions in the different macro languages
	^ lots of people commented about this ^
	examples showing the same "customization" in different languages
	summary charts of the standard key bindings for different versions
	a sample .emacs default file w/ explanation of its parts
	mapping function keys on popular keyboards
	a "How Do I...?" section
	how to obtain the various versions
	a history of emacs
	
An oft-mentioned GNU-specific gripe is that there is a large
intuitive leap between the two books FSF produces, the GNU Emacs manual
and the ELISP Programmer's Manual.  Some people mentioned that FSF was
planning to release a document that filled this void soon.
 
There was also concern expressed about undermining the FSF with a
for-profit book with parts about GNU.  
We're sensitive to this concern, and won't do an emacs book without
coming to some agreement with FSF first.
 
Again, thanks.  If you've got more suggestions or comments, send me e-mail.
-peter

-- 
Peter Mui: (617) 354-5800
O'Reilly & Associates, Inc.
90 Sherman Street, Cambridge, MA 02140
UUCP:	uunet!ora!peter      ARPA:   peter@ora.uu.net