Re: Learn Emacs Lisp in 15 minutes

[Bastien <bzg@altern.org>]

Hi Kevin,

"Kevin Montuori" <montuori@gmail.com> writes:

> A few comments:
>
>   - A link to "An Introduction to Programming in Emacs Lisp" might prove
>     handy for continuing on: http://tinyurl.com/lanbfyv 

Indeed, add at the end.

>   - The paragraph beginning with "This set of command is loaded on
>     top..." is confusing.  I'd be tempted to make it way simpler:
>
>       Emacs has a built-in set of functions (or commands); you use these
>       built-in functions as building blocks for custom functions.

I rewrote it but slightly differently.  Thanks for putting me on this
track anyway, let me know if it sounds clearer now.

>   - I'd point out that every sexp returns a value and some sexps produce
>     side effects -- and explain the difference between a value and side
>     effect.

Mhhh... I added one little sentence, but I don't want to go too far
down that road.  For example, I don't want to say that no-side-effect
functions are more "functional" than others -- because it sounds
jargonish for newcomers, and it does not really add to the
understanding of this little tutorial I think.

> Stupid as it sounds, I'd mention to your friend that you can't break a
> computer by mis-programming it (and that most programmers spend their
> time fixing code that's broken to some degree, not writing perfect code
> out of the gate).  This is less obvious to non-programmers than I would
> have suspected.

How true.  I added a notice, and a "thanks" section at the end!

Thanks,

-- 
 Bastien