Re: Emacs vs Scrivener

[Eric Abrahamsen <eric@ericabrahamsen.net>]

Bastien <bzg@altern.org> writes:

> Hi Matt,
>
> Matt Price <moptop99@gmail.com> writes:
>

[...]

>> - In concert with this, each document -- each piece of a project --
>> has both a title and a synopsis, which are represented by an "index
>> card"  You cna move index cards around within the project.  I like
>> this because sometimes, with a ocmplex piece of writing, it can be
>> helpful to look at al the elements and rearrange them in space.  A
>> whiteboard is good for this, or scraps of paper on a blank table.
>> Org-mode lets you refile headings easily, but the one-dimensional
>> ordering isn't as satisfying to me as objects that can be dragged form
>> one place to another.

[...]

> I don't know about the spatial metaphor, I'm not familiar enough with
> scrivener.  But there is surely room for small improvements tha makes
> the Emacs experience even better.

I think the idea here would be a pretty radical departure from Emacs'
display engine: both in this thread and the earlier mention of
Tinderbox, the goal would be a true two-dimensional canvas with shapes
and colors, where each heading was represented by a malleable,
positionable "blob" with certain attributes. Obviously this isn't
something that either Emacs or Org should be responsible for -- I think
Matt's suggestion of an HTML5 app based on an Org parser would be the
only practicable solution. Lots of work though!