From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 Path: news.gmane.org!not-for-mail From: Mike Mattie Newsgroups: gmane.emacs.help Subject: Re: For users not programmers with very little, maybe a smattering of experience, how do you setup gnus for reading email?... Date: Sun, 17 Feb 2008 15:03:02 -0800 Message-ID: <20080217150302.5ffe30ca@reforged> References: <878x1kwjuz.fsf@bzg.ath.cx> NNTP-Posting-Host: lo.gmane.org Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/signed; boundary="Sig_/q/QvYDD4RQ+=3Mjgjw6Zftd"; protocol="application/pgp-signature"; micalg=PGP-SHA1 X-Trace: ger.gmane.org 1203289541 23382 80.91.229.12 (17 Feb 2008 23:05:41 GMT) X-Complaints-To: usenet@ger.gmane.org NNTP-Posting-Date: Sun, 17 Feb 2008 23:05:41 +0000 (UTC) To: help-gnu-emacs@gnu.org Original-X-From: help-gnu-emacs-bounces+geh-help-gnu-emacs=m.gmane.org@gnu.org Mon Feb 18 00:06:01 2008 Return-path: Envelope-to: geh-help-gnu-emacs@m.gmane.org Original-Received: from lists.gnu.org ([199.232.76.165]) by lo.gmane.org with esmtp (Exim 4.50) id 1JQsZG-0000hD-50 for geh-help-gnu-emacs@m.gmane.org; Mon, 18 Feb 2008 00:05:18 +0100 Original-Received: from localhost ([127.0.0.1] helo=lists.gnu.org) by lists.gnu.org with esmtp (Exim 4.43) id 1JQsYl-00039X-Nn for geh-help-gnu-emacs@m.gmane.org; Sun, 17 Feb 2008 18:04:35 -0500 Original-Received: from mailman by lists.gnu.org with tmda-scanned (Exim 4.43) id 1JQsYU-000382-09 for help-gnu-emacs@gnu.org; Sun, 17 Feb 2008 18:04:18 -0500 Original-Received: from exim by lists.gnu.org with spam-scanned (Exim 4.43) id 1JQsYS-000365-11 for help-gnu-emacs@gnu.org; Sun, 17 Feb 2008 18:04:16 -0500 Original-Received: from [199.232.76.173] (helo=monty-python.gnu.org) by lists.gnu.org with esmtp (Exim 4.43) id 1JQsYR-00035x-Ja for help-gnu-emacs@gnu.org; Sun, 17 Feb 2008 18:04:15 -0500 Original-Received: from wa-out-1112.google.com ([209.85.146.181]) by monty-python.gnu.org with esmtp (Exim 4.60) (envelope-from ) id 1JQsYQ-0000Td-SJ for help-gnu-emacs@gnu.org; Sun, 17 Feb 2008 18:04:15 -0500 Original-Received: by wa-out-1112.google.com with SMTP id k34so2714661wah.10 for ; Sun, 17 Feb 2008 15:04:13 -0800 (PST) DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=gmail.com; s=gamma; h=domainkey-signature:received:received:date:from:to:subject:message-id:in-reply-to:references:x-mailer:mime-version:content-type; bh=WtCqk95lTI03i0hNysB004vEVIABATuWjAg7YuACBJw=; b=LR6WWXNbID+D30F5cfXtOhtUpGBAciKAKNfmPKpQufLIrGJQ1lLB+3n/ie5clXqJ4Pjiv+a33RhyuT1r+DXX0moXB6fePPvGy+3lE5I8zoykUsv8vWO5Mu1XDOvHhmdCcKhaNlqjTPzE/7qBILUV5JHegzsbgQ7KELdaIBpGkW8= DomainKey-Signature: a=rsa-sha1; c=nofws; d=gmail.com; s=gamma; h=date:from:to:subject:message-id:in-reply-to:references:x-mailer:mime-version:content-type; b=mGiAZNiOSgRKh6HI1MlIj01y8UijHAaOII8qS/Dxn57LJ8S4uLcr3uZIZdfhWv4D+LQAQQqBJrx10dqHGvMVi72/lN9OJt3UfYH8EXKNPRqAQn9wkUTP+R+W/RDXW7lX+VdyMBHdj8qjSj4ZHjnZNQ1rjnqzvH0sktOZmcyTlVk= Original-Received: by 10.114.194.1 with SMTP id r1mr3744043waf.40.1203289452936; Sun, 17 Feb 2008 15:04:12 -0800 (PST) Original-Received: from reforged ( [71.217.206.83]) by mx.google.com with ESMTPS id y11sm14186494pod.9.2008.02.17.15.04.12 (version=SSLv3 cipher=OTHER); Sun, 17 Feb 2008 15:04:12 -0800 (PST) In-Reply-To: X-Mailer: Claws Mail 3.0.2 (GTK+ 2.12.5; i686-pc-linux-gnu) X-detected-kernel: by monty-python.gnu.org: Linux 2.6 (newer, 2) X-BeenThere: help-gnu-emacs@gnu.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.5 Precedence: list List-Id: Users list for the GNU Emacs text editor List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , Original-Sender: help-gnu-emacs-bounces+geh-help-gnu-emacs=m.gmane.org@gnu.org Errors-To: help-gnu-emacs-bounces+geh-help-gnu-emacs=m.gmane.org@gnu.org Xref: news.gmane.org gmane.emacs.help:51619 Archived-At: --Sig_/q/QvYDD4RQ+=3Mjgjw6Zftd Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable On Sun, 17 Feb 2008 08:04:53 -0500 Don Saklad wrote: > > So, did it help?=20 >=20 > Yup, it did. >=20 > Well, here, to get gnus going for email it's between > dealing with symptoms like dyslexia and ADD > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attention-Deficit_Hyperactivity_Di= sorder I don't know much about dyslexia, but Emacs can be setup to reduce the impa= ct ADD symptoms, unfortunately it requires a little bit of Emacs sophistication. 1. Emacs Emacs is a ADD happy place. Many of the Emacs developers and users place a = extremely high value on a interface that does not distract. It also rarely creates new fra= mes (windows) which is a *huge* bonus. You can rely on the principle that any distracting= Emacs feature will have an off switch. You can turn off most of the menus and fullscreen Emacs. The buffer managem= ent is nearly ideal for ADD since the buffers are not visible in any way unless you go lo= oking for them. If you learn how to use the Emacs command interface (alt-x) it can be a ben= efit and a risk. You can get things done in the editor by typing commands without alot of interface = being presented at you. Even more importantly the command interface does not linger or grow like ca= ncer across your screen as pop-up menus do. The risk is that there is so many interesting functions, and so many ways t= o do something, that you can get stuck in a recursive "better way" or "exploration" loop for a while. No= cure for that, it's the fun part of Emacs. 2. Desktop The typical desktop designed around multi-tasking can be crippling. Every w= indow and desktop gizmo unrelated to your current task is lethal to your focus. A window mana= ger that allows=20 you to create workspaces you can switch between is a huge help. I put coding in one, communications in another, and leave another workspace= for misc programs=20 that are allowed to clutter up the workspace with windows. The major progra= ms that I use such=20 as Emacs,Firefox, and a mail client are *always* full screened. I change my= task focus by changing=20 workspaces, and I cycle applications within a task group only when necessar= y. A setup like this can give you a fighting chance to discipline yourself to = stay on task. If you want to=20 use Gnus and keep this task separation you can create a frame for gnus in a= communications workspace,=20 and a primary Emacs frame in your work workspace. > Complexity can be interesting, greater usability can take > into account nonprogrammer users having difficulties with > manual texts whether it's the writing of the text or > limitations of the users attempting to interpret the manual > texts. >=20 >=20 If you have difficulty reading text you definitely are going to have a roug= h time. You might be able to setup EmacsSpeak, which converts text to speech. You might be able to ge= t it to read the manuals to you. Anything as complex as a computer is going to have alot of RTFM inv= olved so it would likely be worth the investment to get it working well in at least one application. On a more general note I would say the MS Windows interface ideas are a un-= mitigated disaster for ADD. Everything pops up a new window, everything blinks, flashes, and in general it looks l= ike the circus is running your desktop. The interface is multi-tasking centric which is lethal, and the apps are ad= vertising/brand centric which means they will do anything to steal and stay in your attention. The Mac interface is very balanced, the dashboard is really helpful because= it disappears. Unfortunately I haven't figured out how to switch window managers yet. The mac interface is smarter but it'= s still hard to get rid of all the desktop icons (lethal distraction), and diet the menus. Linux is the best since you can create an ideal environment with some progr= amming skills. It will likely require a significant investment in time and effort to learn if you have not already.= I think ubuntu is lowering the bar considerably - it may be an option. The web is the seventh ring of hell for ADD. Add-block plus is a minimum, a= nd if you can tolerate noscript it will get rid of almost all the visual blitzkrieg that assaults you when pag= es load. I am fortunate that the most useful programming sights are still "old web". Whatever you do, you are likely on your own as far as modern computers are = concerned. A truly distraction free environment is a advertising/branding free environment for the most part, a= nd multi-tasking is out of the question. The market forces won't be catering to you any time soon. Every once in a w= hile for my own amusement I propose interface changes that make software easily dismissed from the user's atten= tion. If they actually think about it instead of laughing outright it can be amusing to watch a MBA's brain ma= lfunction for a while. You will have to roll up your sleeves and cater to your own needs AFAICS. L= uckily modern programs are getting alot=20 easier to modify, and Emacs is the king of user modification. Cheers, Mike Mattie --Sig_/q/QvYDD4RQ+=3Mjgjw6Zftd Content-Type: application/pgp-signature; name=signature.asc Content-Disposition: attachment; filename=signature.asc -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: GnuPG v1.4.7 (GNU/Linux) iD8DBQFHuL0mdfRchrkBInkRAs3MAKCpwZNA/WwGZ3BNQKGrOI1V1DmpfQCg5pEY EXc9NCWp6dOC9IhnlvHavDc= =1bJh -----END PGP SIGNATURE----- --Sig_/q/QvYDD4RQ+=3Mjgjw6Zftd--