Re: Honoring traditional defaults - how to do it. [was: Transient Mark Mode on bydefault]

[Alan Mackenzie <acm@muc.de>]

Hi, Paul,

On Tue, Mar 25, 2008 at 11:28:55PM +0100, paul r wrote:
> 2008/3/25, Alan Mackenzie <acm@muc.de>:

> >  I've been thinking; what are the requirements here?  I think they're:
> >  (i) It must be _easy_ for a newbie to start an Emacs in "lazy" mode
> >   (i.e., with the UI stuff from lesser applications enabled).
> ok
> >  (ii) The said newby must be made aware that she's started a "dumbed
> >    down" version of Emacs, and encouraged to switch a standard setup.

> I think this is acceptable. Emacs(easy) must be made to minimize
> surprise, then going from emacs(simple) to emacs(regular) should remain
> a doable path, with a tutorial explaining what will change, and why
> those changes will increase power. If this is well implemented, I think
> it can be a working solution.

> >  (iii) The most standard way of starting emacs (i.e., the command
> >  "emacs") must start the standard setup.

> I do not agree on that point. Again, I think power users must adapt,
> not beginners.

I think beginners should be urged to become power users.  Although it's
easier to type "emacs" than "emacs-easy", the difference is so small that
it isn't a nag.

> >  I think all these things can be achieved with a simple alias:

> >     % alias emacs_easy='emacs --load /path/to/lisp/emacs-easy.el'

> >  .  emacs-easy.el, besides setting up the "easy" defaults, should display
> >  a startup screen with a message something like:

> Could you detail what is the benefit from your pov of an alias over a
> "mode", as proposed before ?

It's easier.  There's no configuration to be done, no options to set.
Beginners aren't going to be doing any configuration.  Yet there must be
some slight pressure to urge them eventually to convert to the "standard"
config.  If the beginner first has to insert "(transient-mark-mode -1)"
into her .emacs, whether manually or through `customize-option', she'll
never get round to doing it.

> >    "You are running an Emacs configuration designed to be easy to
> >     _learn_.  When you have become somewhat proficient in its use, you
> >     may wish to switch to a standard Emacs setup, which is optimised for
> >     ease of _use_ rather than ease of learning."

> I like how you formulate the difference between ease of learn and ease
> of use.

Thanks!

-- 
Alan Mackenzie (Nuremberg, Germany).