Re: Emacs for new users

[Les Harris <lharris@gnome.org>]

Lennart Borgman <lennart.borgman@gmail.com> writes:

> It is quite strange to not include Emacs. On the other hand it points
> to how important it is too make it easy to start using Emacs. I think
> we should have to move to adhere better to existing GUI standards (CUA
> for example, but that is a hot potato).

First let's get the tautologies out of the way: Emacs is a complex
system with many features and extreme extensibility.

With that axiom in mind I would argue that any attempt to add a veneer
of simplicity over the top is doing a disservice to would-be emacs
users.

With that said, I think a solution to the learning-emacs-in-classroom and
emacs-for-new-users problems is the same: include a .emacs which turns
on things like CUA mode to make operation more familiar.

The instructor of an emacs class is in an ideal position to do this.
For others this is something that could be easily distributed with emacs
perhaps with adding a blurb about it on the emacs splash screen.

-- 
Do they only stand
By ignorance, is that their happy state,
The proof of their obedience and their faith?