From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 Path: news.gmane.org!not-for-mail From: Emanuel Berg Newsgroups: gmane.emacs.help Subject: Re: Learning "my emacs" from the start (was: Generating a listing of all symbols) Date: Sun, 20 Apr 2014 22:41:50 +0200 Organization: Aioe.org NNTP Server Message-ID: <87bnvv91ip.fsf@nl106-137-194.student.uu.se> References: <3defe928-5d2e-4d3b-bc26-f595f275f840@googlegroups.com> <9c8cbdb3-abe9-4aae-af60-761d0c042c67@googlegroups.com> NNTP-Posting-Host: plane.gmane.org Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain X-Trace: ger.gmane.org 1398026724 29119 80.91.229.3 (20 Apr 2014 20:45:24 GMT) X-Complaints-To: usenet@ger.gmane.org NNTP-Posting-Date: Sun, 20 Apr 2014 20:45:24 +0000 (UTC) To: help-gnu-emacs@gnu.org Original-X-From: help-gnu-emacs-bounces+geh-help-gnu-emacs=m.gmane.org@gnu.org Sun Apr 20 22:45:19 2014 Return-path: Envelope-to: geh-help-gnu-emacs@m.gmane.org Original-Received: from lists.gnu.org ([208.118.235.17]) by plane.gmane.org with esmtp (Exim 4.69) (envelope-from ) id 1Wbyc3-0001wO-2L for geh-help-gnu-emacs@m.gmane.org; Sun, 20 Apr 2014 22:45:19 +0200 Original-Received: from localhost ([::1]:46615 helo=lists.gnu.org) by lists.gnu.org with esmtp (Exim 4.71) (envelope-from ) id 1Wbyc2-0003Qo-Oc for geh-help-gnu-emacs@m.gmane.org; Sun, 20 Apr 2014 16:45:18 -0400 Original-Path: usenet.stanford.edu!news.kjsl.com!feeder.erje.net!eu.feeder.erje.net!newsfeed.xs4all.nl!newsfeed1.news.xs4all.nl!xs4all!news.stack.nl!aioe.org!.POSTED!not-for-mail Original-Newsgroups: gnu.emacs.help Original-Lines: 68 Original-NNTP-Posting-Host: VVbyYd/iFZoeWNmD9i++cQ.user.speranza.aioe.org Original-X-Complaints-To: abuse@aioe.org User-Agent: Gnus/5.13 (Gnus v5.13) Emacs/24.3 (gnu/linux) X-Notice: Filtered by postfilter v. 0.8.2 Cancel-Lock: sha1:qrnp3mixv4fmQOi7yqYgp8RBljQ= Mail-Copies-To: never Original-Xref: usenet.stanford.edu gnu.emacs.help:205010 X-BeenThere: help-gnu-emacs@gnu.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.14 Precedence: list List-Id: Users list for the GNU Emacs text editor List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , Errors-To: help-gnu-emacs-bounces+geh-help-gnu-emacs=m.gmane.org@gnu.org Original-Sender: help-gnu-emacs-bounces+geh-help-gnu-emacs=m.gmane.org@gnu.org Xref: news.gmane.org gmane.emacs.help:97275 Archived-At: Hans BKK writes: > My goal isn't to flatten the "usage" learning curve, > but to help me climb the "customizing" one faster Again, I don't see any conflict. This is how I did it: Make a keystroke to go instantly to the .emacs file (or directory of config/extension files, when .emacs starts to get big). When you get an idea, hit the keystroke and try to implement it - and start small. Keystrokes, face colors, etc. are ideal to begin with (and the result immediately felt). Later, you can rewrite the search function or whatever. Sometimes in the course of daily (nightly) activity, you get an idea, but you don't want to loose focus on the task at hand. Then I have an interactive todo list [1], to which I just add an item. That todo list is never empty for me, no matter how much stuff I do :) Again, a keystroke to bring up the todo file will get you there instantly whenever you feel like playing/working with Elisp extension/configurations (this can be a pleasant way to relax actively/constructively, as well) - so at that point, you don't have to think "what do I do now?" - just pick of item by item on the todo list. OK - there are several ways to do things, and this is just an example (but, I think, a good way) - but the underlying principle is *activity* - activity leads to activity. Be active, and configuration will come. Drawing UML diagrams and the like on a blackboard on the other hand, won't get anyone anywhere... Don't plan, *do it*! > and the process of putting code together and diving > into emacs' internals is all part of that. I also > didn't mean to put so much focus on the keybindings > issue, just that's why I'm holding off on the > hands-on usage That doesn't make any sense. I hope you don't get angry now but I just know that is incorrect. If you want to be a boxer, you should throw 1000 punches a day. A programmer: write 1000 lines of code a day. An Emacs user: use Emacs all night long, and configure/extend a couple of things every night and day. This will *not* make you a "mechanical" moron - on the contrary, doing the basics one million times will open your body/mind for what is more advanced. And the more skilled you get at the "mechanical" side to it, the less resources does your brain have to put to it - also, the brain will get more skilled at decoding the signals, produced by the mechanical activity. To "just do it" does not mean your brain shuts off! [1] http://user.it.uu.se/~embe8573/conf/emacs-init/todo-did.el -- underground experts united: http://user.it.uu.se/~embe8573