Re: Emacs learning curve

[David Kastrup <dak@gnu.org>]

Ivan Kanis <expire-by-2010-07-27@kanis.fr> writes:

> Tassilo Horn <tassilo@member.fsf.org> wrote:
>
>> And we would need to define new guidelines for modes.  These
>> recommendations are also in conflict with CUA:
>
> ... snip stuff about C-c ..
>
>> But since old emacs users and users happy with the emacs way would like
>> to stick to the default bindings, we would have to somehow invend
>> conventions that fit for both Emacs and CUAmacs.  I'm pretty sure that's
>> near to impossible if you want to preserve a rest of mnemonics and
>> consistency.
>
> C-c is addressed in CUA mode, it only does copy if transient mode is
> on. You can still get C-c in transient by pressing C-c twice.

Within a fifth of a second.

> It's technically possible for emacs to have sane key binding, it's
> just political not do so.

I refuse to call that sort of timing-based key sequence difference
"sane".  For example, it makes bug reports containing key lossage
useless since the key lossage fails to mention the delays between key
presses.

> On a somewhat related note emacs added long line visual motion. It was
> turned on by default possibly creating confusion for veteran
> users. The same old user can quickly find that setting
> line-move-visual to nil gets her the old behavior.
>
> Why can't we do that for CUA mode? I think that politics get in the
> way.

The result is not sane and not consistent.  If you call it "politics"
not to present insane and inconsistent behavior to new users, you may be
right.  And any politician being serious about this sort of politics can
count on my vote.

We discussed this.  We voted on it.  Again and again.  And again and
again.  And you'll still find the vocal minority ignore reality and
claim that they are suffering from unreasonable hardships by not getting
their whim against the majority, against common sense, against
consistency, against the arguments they keep discarding, and without
cleaning up their act first.

-- 
David Kastrup