From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 Path: news.gmane.org!not-for-mail From: Tim X Newsgroups: gmane.emacs.help Subject: Re: Using Emacs Date: Fri, 12 Jan 2007 08:57:08 +1100 Organization: Posted via Supernews, http://www.supernews.com Message-ID: <87odp5dy6j.fsf@lion.rapttech.com.au> References: NNTP-Posting-Host: lo.gmane.org Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii X-Trace: sea.gmane.org 1168555286 13367 80.91.229.12 (11 Jan 2007 22:41:26 GMT) X-Complaints-To: usenet@sea.gmane.org NNTP-Posting-Date: Thu, 11 Jan 2007 22:41:26 +0000 (UTC) Original-X-From: help-gnu-emacs-bounces+geh-help-gnu-emacs=m.gmane.org@gnu.org Thu Jan 11 23:41:23 2007 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 1H58bh-0002Nx-Bn for geh-help-gnu-emacs@m.gmane.org; Thu, 11 Jan 2007 23:41:13 +0100 Original-Received: from localhost ([127.0.0.1] helo=lists.gnu.org) by lists.gnu.org with esmtp (Exim 4.43) id 1H58bh-0004HE-3t for geh-help-gnu-emacs@m.gmane.org; Thu, 11 Jan 2007 17:41:13 -0500 Original-Path: shelby.stanford.edu!newsfeed.stanford.edu!newsfeed.gamma.ru!Gamma.RU!newsfeed.icl.net!newsfeed.fjserv.net!colt.net!feeder.news-service.com!138.199.65.86.MISMATCH!sn-xt-ams-06!sn-xt-ams-05!sn-ams!sn-feed-ams-03!sn-post-ams-02!sn-post-sjc-01!supernews.com!corp.supernews.com!not-for-mail Original-Newsgroups: gnu.emacs.help User-Agent: Gnus/5.11 (Gnus v5.11) Emacs/22.0.92 (gnu/linux) Cancel-Lock: sha1:vu7CNI1vxKxRBnrZEGwjyoekCyU= Original-X-Complaints-To: abuse@supernews.com Original-Lines: 43 Original-Xref: shelby.stanford.edu gnu.emacs.help:144645 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:40249 Archived-At: "Graham Smith" writes: > I have just discovered Emacs and I now understand why people talk about living in > Emacs. To help me get a feel for how much of my work I might be able to move into > Emacs, I wondered if people might be willing to share how much of their work is > done in Emacs. > > I am using Windows (for the time being at least), and I am not a programmer, but I > will use Emacs as a front end for R. I am therefore interested in Emacs as a > writing, information/time management tool etc. I have installed Org.mode and I am > very impressed with this. > > As it is going to need a little bit of thought on how to structure my new Emacs > world, I would appreciate any examples of how you use Emacs and hints on "best > practice" with Emacs. > I use emacs for 90% of what I have to do (mainly programming and writing documents). I've not used R, so can't speak to how the emacs mode for R is. I do make extensive use of auctex, planner mode (for tracking time spent on projects, notes and personal information management). I also use VM for mail and GNUS for reading newsgroups. My advice would be not to worry too much about how to structure things to begin with. The best thing to do is just start using it and tweaking the config as you learn more about emacs and the modes you use most often. Avoid getting into customizing with elisp too soon and when you do, make sure you use the emacs help system extensively as the customization you want is probably already in there somewhere. The emacs wiki provides some good information and I'd recommend spending some time browsing its contents. It will alert you to many features, provide guidance on customizing the system and provide some useful ideas. Make sure you do the emacs built-in tutorial as well and browse the emacs info pages. Good luck. After a few months, you will likely wonder how you did anything before moving to emacs - I decided to try it out about 10 years ago - it took me a couple of tries, but once I got there, I've never looked back. Tim -- tcross (at) rapttech dot com dot au