Re: Will default key bindings spell the death of Emacs?

[Miles Bader <miles@lsi.nec.co.jp>]

kai.grossjohann@gmx.net (Kai Großjohann) writes:
> I also started to use Gnome a short while ago, and there I also
> changed the keybindings to my liking.  I had similar problems, only
> fewer of them, because Gnome doesn't allow for configuring so many
> bindings.
> 
> Given that Emacs has *hundreds* of keybindings, people are going to
> have real problems with the rebinding.  For example, if you rebind
> ESC and C-x and C-c, then you lose a lot of other bindings that you
> somehow need to make accessible.

I think in part this simply points out that the tools available for
changing bindings are not very good.  It's not hard to image something
that would give you a broad visual presentation of the current bindings,
highlight which key ranges are `reserved for users,' help you avoid
conflicts, allow you to define your own `binding sets,' etc.

> I like the Gnome approach where you can select some flavors of
> keybindings and don't have to change each one of them individually.
> This is also offered by Emacs, via cua and crisp-mode and
> wordstar-mode and so on.

It's nice to have some preselected flavors available that capture
various popular preferences, but the Gnome viewpoint that users Just
Shouldn't Change Anything is assinine.  Boo, gnome.*

* Yes I know that it makes life much simpler for the maintainers, and
  support/help/etc, but none the less it's user hostile, and I am a user.

-Miles
-- 
Ich bin ein Virus. Mach' mit und kopiere mich in Deine .signature.