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From: swarren@convex.com (Steve Warren)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.introduction
Subject: Re: Emacs for the Amiga 1000 ?  (MicroEmacs?)
Message-ID: <1991Jan14.161415.2580@convex.com>
Date: 14 Jan 91 16:14:15 GMT
References: <17399@cbmvax.commodore.com> <18834327.ARN09723@prolix.ccadfa.oz.au> <17493@cbmvax.commodore.com>
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In article <17493@cbmvax.commodore.com> andy@cbmvax.commodore.com (Andy Finkel) writes:
>In article <18834327.ARN09723@prolix.ccadfa.oz.au> ccadfa.cc.adfa.oz.au!prolix!Dac writes:
>>In article <17399@cbmvax.commodore.com>, Andy Finkel writes:
>>I can (vaguely) understand that people like to be able to use the same editor
>>over multiple platforms, but really, why put up with the arcane arts,when you
>>can use a MAGIC editor like Cygnus Ed? All this 'control key' and escape key
>>nonsense is for the birds!

Actually, while my gnu exposure over the last 2 years has made me a confirmed
gnu emacs user, I have to say that the editor I was the most productive with
was, believe it or not, the VAX keypad editor.  It didn't have a lot of the
features I've come to take for granted.  But the keypad command-mapping layout
worked quite well.  I was able to perform editting functions almost instantly
with the keypad.

I wouldn't want to do without the mouse-placed cursor of the X-windows
interface of GNU Emacs.  But in a frequently used application like an
editor, menus actually slow you down (although they help immensely when
you are coming up to speed, or if you are a casual user).

Similarly, I remember when I worked for over a year on a commercial,
dedicated CADAM system (not PC-based).  The workstations had special
function keypads on the side that you could rest one hand on (I controlled
my puck with my right hand, so I used my left hand on the keypad).  All
the functions of the CAD software could be controlled either by menu
selections on the screen or by directly selecting the function through the
large dedicated keypad.  Once you learned the system you tended to abandon
the menus in favor of the keypad because your productivity increased
dramatically when you used the keypad.

Of course a special purpose keypad is not reasonable for an editor like
GNU Emacs which is portable across all the current popular machines.  The
next best thing for a truly portable editor is to map all commands to the
normal keyboard, which is a peripheral that is guaranteed to be found on
all machines that GNU Emacs is ported to.  ;^)  And since GNU is what I
use all day at work, and since I would prefer not to have to undergo a
paradigm shift when I go home, I would prefer GNU at home, even if CED is
superior in some ways.

And GNU is not really arcane.  Just portable.  It is a pretty advanced editor
in it's own rights, especially considering the fact that it is free.

--
            _.
--Steve   ._||__      DISCLAIMER: All opinions are my own.
  Warren   v\ *|     ----------------------------------------------
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