Re: Learning "my emacs" from the start (was: Generating a listing of all symbols)

[Emanuel Berg <embe8573@student.uu.se>]

Hans BKK <hansbkk@gmail.com> writes:

> My goal isn't to flatten the "usage" learning curve,
> but to help me climb the "customizing" one faster

Again, I don't see any conflict.

This is how I did it:

Make a keystroke to go instantly to the .emacs file (or
directory of config/extension files, when .emacs starts
to get big).

When you get an idea, hit the keystroke and try to
implement it - and start small. Keystrokes, face
colors, etc. are ideal to begin with (and the result
immediately felt). Later, you can rewrite the search
function or whatever.

Sometimes in the course of daily (nightly) activity,
you get an idea, but you don't want to loose focus on
the task at hand. Then I have an interactive todo list
[1], to which I just add an item. That todo list is
never empty for me, no matter how much stuff I do :)
Again, a keystroke to bring up the todo file will get
you there instantly whenever you feel like
playing/working with Elisp extension/configurations
(this can be a pleasant way to relax
actively/constructively, as well) - so at that point,
you don't have to think "what do I do now?" - just pick
of item by item on the todo list.

OK - there are several ways to do things, and this is
just an example (but, I think, a good way) - but the
underlying principle is *activity* - activity leads to
activity. Be active, and configuration will
come. Drawing UML diagrams and the like on a blackboard
on the other hand, won't get anyone anywhere... Don't
plan, *do it*!

> and the process of putting code together and diving
> into emacs' internals is all part of that. I also
> didn't mean to put so much focus on the keybindings
> issue, just that's why I'm holding off on the
> hands-on usage

That doesn't make any sense. I hope you don't get angry
now but I just know that is incorrect. If you want to
be a boxer, you should throw 1000 punches a day. A
programmer: write 1000 lines of code a day. An Emacs
user: use Emacs all night long, and configure/extend a
couple of things every night and day.

This will *not* make you a "mechanical" moron - on the
contrary, doing the basics one million times will open
your body/mind for what is more advanced. And the more
skilled you get at the "mechanical" side to it, the
less resources does your brain have to put to it -
also, the brain will get more skilled at decoding the
signals, produced by the mechanical activity.

To "just do it" does not mean your brain shuts off!

[1] http://user.it.uu.se/~embe8573/conf/emacs-init/todo-did.el

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