Re: Emacs Newbie Info Pages

[Suhail Singh <suhailsingh247@gmail.com>]

Corwin Brust <corwin@bru.st> writes:

> Would it make sense to have a `emacs-welcome-new-user' mode which
> "collects" configuration defaults appropriate for new users and
> provides means to enable (and, perhaps, disable) them en masse?

A dedicated "initialization" command (be it `emacs-welcome-new-user' or
`emacs-initialize-configuration' or something else) could be useful.  If
said command is linked to from the initial splash screen, it would also
make it accessible.

I see this as a variation of the current "Customize Startup" option, but
not a substitute for it.  In order to "generate appropriate
configuration defaults" this command would be allowed to ask the user
questions, however, said questions have to be answerable by the user
without them necessarily having read the manual (e.g., questions about
possible usage patterns or tasks a user may want to accomplish with
Emacs).  Contrast this with "Customize startup" which requires the user
to have some awareness of Emacs concepts and doesn't focus on "usage
patterns".

> In passing, I think it worth mentioning that programs like Doom
> provide as an (IMO) important feature, a logical grouping of features.
> I'm not suggesting creating something akin to this, expressly, but
> that would be a direction to consider that I suspect could give the
> results I have in mind.

While I don't have experience with Doom, I agree with the general belief
regd. "logical grouping of features" where "logical" means from the
perspective of the uninitiated user.

-- 
Suhail