From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 Path: news.gmane.org!not-for-mail From: Stefan Monnier Newsgroups: gmane.emacs.help Subject: Re: C-p, C-b, C-f, and C-n... why? Date: Thu, 15 Dec 2005 01:15:21 -0500 Organization: Bell Sympatico Message-ID: <87lkym51rd.fsf-monnier+gnu.emacs.help@gnu.org> References: <1133329096.909577.80790@g43g2000cwa.googlegroups.com> <11pmkm7sol448a9@corp.supernews.com> NNTP-Posting-Host: main.gmane.org Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii X-Trace: sea.gmane.org 1134628537 3814 80.91.229.2 (15 Dec 2005 06:35:37 GMT) X-Complaints-To: usenet@sea.gmane.org NNTP-Posting-Date: Thu, 15 Dec 2005 06:35:37 +0000 (UTC) Original-X-From: help-gnu-emacs-bounces+geh-help-gnu-emacs=m.gmane.org@gnu.org Thu Dec 15 07:35:35 2005 Return-path: Original-Received: from lists.gnu.org ([199.232.76.165]) by ciao.gmane.org with esmtp (Exim 4.43) id 1Emmhg-0004sl-E6 for geh-help-gnu-emacs@m.gmane.org; Thu, 15 Dec 2005 07:35:00 +0100 Original-Received: from localhost ([127.0.0.1] helo=lists.gnu.org) by lists.gnu.org with esmtp (Exim 4.43) id 1EmmiJ-000676-3a for geh-help-gnu-emacs@m.gmane.org; Thu, 15 Dec 2005 01:35:39 -0500 Original-Path: shelby.stanford.edu!newsfeed.stanford.edu!postnews.google.com!news3.google.com!border1.nntp.dca.giganews.com!nntp.giganews.com!wn13feed!worldnet.att.net!207.35.177.252!nf3.bellglobal.com!nf1.bellglobal.com!nf2.bellglobal.com!news20.bellglobal.com.POSTED!not-for-mail Original-Newsgroups: gnu.emacs.help User-Agent: Gnus/5.11 (Gnus v5.11) Emacs/22.0.50 (gnu/linux) Cancel-Lock: sha1:s0KIxSLXxWIdj4+kqelkaMe1SkY= Original-Lines: 30 Original-NNTP-Posting-Host: 70.49.81.194 Original-X-Complaints-To: abuse@sympatico.ca Original-X-Trace: news20.bellglobal.com 1134627321 70.49.81.194 (Thu, 15 Dec 2005 01:15:21 EST) Original-NNTP-Posting-Date: Thu, 15 Dec 2005 01:15:21 EST Original-Xref: shelby.stanford.edu gnu.emacs.help:136319 Original-To: help-gnu-emacs@gnu.org 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:31947 Archived-At: >> > There are several ways you can do this. You can use the arrow keys, >> > but it's more efficient to keep your hands in the standard position >> > and use the commands C-p, C-b, C-f, and C-n. These characters >> > are equivalent to the four arrow keys, like this: >> >> I think phrases like "but it's more efficient" is a bit dangerous. I'd >> rather want something like "but some feel it's more efficient". It all >> depends on the user, his keyboard, his habits etc. > I have yet to see a keyboard with arrow keys close to the rest of the > keys. They are always somewhere on the fringes. So, habits aside, > the distance to C-f is shorter than to the right arrow key, and that > is an objective fact. Of course, people might prefer a less efficient > way, e.g., if they type so slowly that the additional time is > negligible. That's beside the point: in some contexts arrows are more efficient, and in some contexts control keys are more efficient. Claiming that control keys are objectively always superior is just silly, so I agree that we should at least add a "generally" between "it's" and "more". I'd also add an "of course" between "you can" and "use the arrow keys" and an "in the long run" after "more efficient": There are several ways you can do this. You can of course use the arrow keys, but it's generally more efficient in the long run to keep your hands in the standard position and use the commands C-p, C-b, C-f, and C-n. These characters are equivalent to the four arrow keys, like this: -- Stefan