From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 Path: news.gmane.org!not-for-mail From: "Drew Adams" Newsgroups: gmane.emacs.help Subject: RE: Arrowless navigation Date: Thu, 21 Sep 2006 08:35:30 -0700 Message-ID: References: NNTP-Posting-Host: main.gmane.org Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-Trace: sea.gmane.org 1158853242 29186 80.91.229.2 (21 Sep 2006 15:40:42 GMT) X-Complaints-To: usenet@sea.gmane.org NNTP-Posting-Date: Thu, 21 Sep 2006 15:40:42 +0000 (UTC) Original-X-From: help-gnu-emacs-bounces+geh-help-gnu-emacs=m.gmane.org@gnu.org Thu Sep 21 17:40:40 2006 Return-path: Envelope-to: geh-help-gnu-emacs@m.gmane.org Original-Received: from lists.gnu.org ([199.232.76.165]) by ciao.gmane.org with esmtp (Exim 4.43) id 1GQQah-00047K-AC for geh-help-gnu-emacs@m.gmane.org; Thu, 21 Sep 2006 17:35:55 +0200 Original-Received: from localhost ([127.0.0.1] helo=lists.gnu.org) by lists.gnu.org with esmtp (Exim 4.43) id 1GQQag-0007HQ-Ft for geh-help-gnu-emacs@m.gmane.org; Thu, 21 Sep 2006 11:35:54 -0400 Original-Received: from mailman by lists.gnu.org with tmda-scanned (Exim 4.43) id 1GQQaS-0007DM-7f for help-gnu-emacs@gnu.org; Thu, 21 Sep 2006 11:35:40 -0400 Original-Received: from exim by lists.gnu.org with spam-scanned (Exim 4.43) id 1GQQaP-00079L-Kz for help-gnu-emacs@gnu.org; Thu, 21 Sep 2006 11:35:38 -0400 Original-Received: from [199.232.76.173] (helo=monty-python.gnu.org) by lists.gnu.org with esmtp (Exim 4.43) id 1GQQaP-00079I-Dz for help-gnu-emacs@gnu.org; Thu, 21 Sep 2006 11:35:37 -0400 Original-Received: from [141.146.126.228] (helo=agminet01.oracle.com) by monty-python.gnu.org with esmtps (TLS-1.0:DHE_RSA_3DES_EDE_CBC_SHA:24) (Exim 4.52) id 1GQQdw-000239-Rv for help-gnu-emacs@gnu.org; Thu, 21 Sep 2006 11:39:17 -0400 Original-Received: from rgmsgw02.us.oracle.com (rgmsgw02.us.oracle.com [138.1.186.52]) by agminet01.oracle.com (Switch-3.1.7/Switch-3.1.7) with ESMTP id k8LFZZD8004944 for ; Thu, 21 Sep 2006 10:35:36 -0500 Original-Received: from dradamslap (dradams-lap.us.oracle.com [130.35.177.126]) by rgmsgw02.us.oracle.com (Switch-3.1.7/Switch-3.1.7) with SMTP id k8LFZZGJ013032 for ; Thu, 21 Sep 2006 09:35:35 -0600 Original-To: X-Priority: 3 (Normal) X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook IMO, Build 9.0.6604 (9.0.2911.0) In-reply-to: Importance: Normal X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2800.1807 X-Brightmail-Tracker: AAAAAQAAAAI= X-Brightmail-Tracker: AAAAAQAAAAI= X-Whitelist: TRUE X-Whitelist: TRUE 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:37544 Archived-At: I recently disabled the arrow keys to avoid temptation. However, I find that default navigation is fairly uncomfortable: C-f, C-b, C-n, C-p. The keys are far away from each other and navigating like that is really stressful on the fingers. Why is this done this way? Do most people redefine these bindings? Initially I wanted to redefine to C-j, C-k, C-l and C-i (because they resemble the arrow keys and are close to the home row) but some of the most common emacs bindings are there. So how do the pros navigate? I can't speak for others, but I tend to use the arrow keys more now, although in the old days I used C-f etc. exclusively. Many people evolve in the other direction. I also use the mouse somewhat more now (direct access) than I did before. Again, some others evolve to use the mouse less and the keyboard more. AFAIK, the keys were chosen mainly because they are mnemonic: f for forward, b for backward, n for next, p for previous. Another consideration is this: the equivalent word-navigation keys have the same mnemonic: M-f and M-b for forward and backward. I use these more than I use C-f and C-b, personally. If you use touch-typing, as opposed to hunt-and-peck, these keys are in fact pretty well placed. f, b, and n are all hit by an index finger (strong finger); only p is hit by a weaker finger (pinky). The obvious advantage of C-f etc. over, say, the arrow keys is that you need not move your hands from the normal keyboard positions - you need never look at the keyboard. I said that I use the arrow keys a bit more now, and that's probably because I also use the mouse more: if my hand has already moved from the normal keyboard position, it's no big deal to use the arrow keys. Again, I don't claim to be typical in my use of keys. Most of the oldest Emacs key bindings are mnemonic in some way or other, which aids in learning. Others were chosen for ease of repeated access and other reasons. Of course, keys have different positions on different keyboards, and one person's perfect choice is anothers nightmare. Thank goodness Emacs keys are customizable!