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Learning GNU Emacs, 3rd Edition
For a programmer, it is reasonable to question whether or not a word processor or graphical IDE is the right tool to edit a simple script or properties file. IDEs like Eclipse have become universals hammers, and to some of their users, any file containing text looks like a nail. Specific tasks are rarely handled well by universal tools, and text editing is no exception. Dave Thomas and Andy Hunt, authors of The Pragmatic Programmer and founders of the Pragmatic Bookshelf series, recommend that programmers adopt a text editor as an essential utility in their collection of appropriately-suited tools. The tried-and-true text editor is enjoying a renaissance of sorts, and one of the most extensible and customizable applications among text editors is the venerable GNU Emacs.
Tutorials and documentation for Emacs are abundant, but they often prove time-consuming and ineffective for actually learning Emacs. The printed version of the official GNU Emacs manual reads more like an application programming interface (API) document than an instructional guide. This book is a refreshing break from the documentation many have come to expect. Imagine having a group of leading experts on Emacs at your disposal to teach you how to use it in a conversational, consultative style. That is what has been bundled into this book.
The extensibility of Emacs is considered both a key strength and a confusing weakness of the application. The Emacs community has created all sorts of additional capabilities for Emacs, ranging from the impressive to the absurd. The authors have done well to judiciously select which Emacs capabilities to cover. For example, while Emacs does have the capability to function as an email client, other applications have long superseded its ability. The authors have chosen not to cover this topic, and instead devote the available space to learning Emacs' core functionality -- powerful, efficient text editing.
This edition of the book uses the space gained by the removal of esoteric topics to flesh out areas of more common interest. Peripheral areas of Emacs, such as compatibility modes for programming languages (other than Java and Perl), have been left for the user to research after gaining a solid foundation on Emacs as editor and work environment. Integration with the major version control systems has been expanded to include Subversion alongside the age-old standards CVS, RCS, and SCCS. Coverage of support for Java and Perl has also improved, as well as sections for editing HTML and XML. Users wanting to tap into the power of Lisp programming for Emacs should find the coverage satisfying as well.
The pace of the material is comfortable, and the order in which topics are introduced allows the user to progress smoothly through the book. Users with some experience can skip past the first three chapters, but would be advised to read through them, particularly those who are self-taught (which applies to most Emacs users). Given the amount of time the average user spends in Emacs, picking up one or two time-saving shortcuts would be well worth an investment of a few hours. Instructions are given in a way that reflects the fact that there are multiple ways to achieve the same outcome; the authors do not attempt to foist "the only way" to accomplish something upon the reader. Some readers will find that bothersome, desiring instead a simple, straightforward heuristic for performing a task. However, the typical users of Emacs tend to be people who embrace the fact that the world is not a simple, straightforward abstraction. The book reflects the authors' awareness of this nuance.
Perhaps the most distinguishing feature of this book is the chapter devoted to the use of Emacs on different platforms. Unix, Windows and Mac OS X users receive equal acknowledgment. The precautions and insights regarding subtle differences in Emacs when used on particular platforms can reduce users' frustration when getting started.
The mnemonic devices and conventions used in the book allow users to
commit useful keyboard commands to memory. The memorization is further
solidified by the exercises sprinkled appropriately through each
chapter. Readers do not go for very many pages before it is time to be
at the keyboard again, harnessing the power of muscle memory to
reinforce the material presented. Those who spend any time at a shell
prompt or in console applications will find that their new mastery of
Emacs keyboard shortcuts translates into increased proficiency with
command-line operations as well.
...doing just what I just did? I mean, just once?
Vi would I want to learn emacs????
How about teco?
Does it have a teco mode?
A feeling of having made the same mistake before: Deja Foobar
It seems you have misspelt 'VI Rules!'
This review is amazing!
I haven't been this excited since Slashdot's review of "Learning GNU Emacs, 2nd Edition".
I'm a big tall mofo.
But given Emacs' startup time, you're forgiven.
It's like this:
Vi, vi vould I vant to learn emacs????
Emacs is a great operating system, but it needs a better text editor.
"Live Free or Die." Don't like it? Then keep out of the USA
534 pages, 437 of which contain a table of all the keyboard shortcuts.
Close your browser!
Dude: "You have to leave now!"
Stallman: "Do you know who I am ? I made EMACS!!"
Dude: "I don't care. I use vi."
All I know about Emacs is that all the Emacs books are in the MAC/Apple section of my local Barnes and Noble.
So it must be a MAC thing, and since I use Windows...
"Live Free or Die." Don't like it? Then keep out of the USA
Is there something that Emacs can't do?
Come with a good editor that doesnt require obscure unlogical keystrokes.
http://saveie6.com/
Real Vim users know that Perl's motto equally applies to their text editor.
Why buy a book when the solution to Emacs is right here:
get shovel, look shovel, e, e, dig, look, get cpu, look cpu, se, get
food, se, look bear, drop food, look, get key, sw, get bracelet, ne, nw,
nw, ne, ne, ne, e, look bins, w, w, put cpu in computer, type, toukmond,
robert, ls, uncompress paper.o.Z, exit, look paper, type, ftp gamma,
anonymous, toukmond, binary, send lamp.o, send shovel.o, send key.o, send
bracelet.o, send paper.o, quit, rlogin gamma, worms, get lamp, get
shovel, get key, get bracelet, get paper, e, n, e, drop shovel, drop key,
drop bracelet, drop paper, get weight, d, drop weight, nw, u, get
statuette, look statuette, get floppy, se, d, nw, ne, drop floppy, w, s,
e, turn dial clockwise, turn dial clockwise, turn dial clockwise, turn
dial counterclockwise, turn dial counterclockwise, turn dial
counterclockwise, w, n, e, get life, get shovel, get key, get bracelet,
get paper, get floppy, d, nw, u, se, d, nw, nw, s, s, s, s, put diamond
in chute, put bracelet in chute, s, get gold, e, e, s, d, look urinal,
put gold in urinal, flush, n, sleep, d, sw, e, u, dig, look, get
platinum, d, w, ne, u, s, put platinum in urinal, flush, n, d, sw, w, d,
e, get towel, look towel, d, s, s, s, look pc, put floppy in pc, reset, ,
dir, type foo.txt => xxx (combination), exit, n, n, n, n, n, u, look box,
put key in box, u, u, ne, ne, get axe, d, n, w, xxx (combination), cut
cable, exit, get key, e, n, get lamp, get license, get silver, w, put
silver in mail, n, n, e, e, e, e, e, get coins, get egg (in rooms 60 to
78), w, w, w, w, w, s, s, put egg in mail, put coins in mail, n, n, n, n,
e, e, e, e, e, look bus, in, s, s, s, w, w, w, w, w, nw, out, n, get
bone, e, e, get nitric, press switch, n, get glycerine, w, look bone, get
jar, get ruby, s, w, s, in, se, out, e, e, e, e, n, n, put nitric in jar,
put glycerine in jar, drop jar, in, n, n, put ruby in disposal, d, get
amethyst, u, put amethyst in disposal, d, ne, sw, u, u, w, w, s, w, s,
se, s, e, s, w, type, rlogin endgame, drop license, drop bone, drop key,
get diamond, get gold, get platinum, get amethyst, n, n, n, n, get bill,
n, get mona, s, drop bill, drop mona, drop diamond, drop gold, drop
platinum, drop amethyst, s, s, s, s, get silver, get egg, get coins, get
ruby, get bracelet, n, n, n, n, n, drop silver, drop egg, drop coins,
drop ruby, drop bracelet, n, quit,
I'm afraid I can't help you with Emacs Tetris.
Slashdot - Mutual Assured Discussion
stop using Emacs to surf porn then
EMACS is a text mode desktop environment. Sorta like KDE on chemotherapy. Strictly for masochists only.
Oh well, what the hell...
On page 498 the headmaster dies.
nherm@localhost:~$ cat > slashdot_post
back in my days we dindt have those fancy text editors and we where hppy^H^H^H^Hhapy^H^H
^C
nherm@localhost:~$
Because you gimp yourself.
I too was once like you. Then I found myself at 0230 hrs dialed into a firewall on a 56k modem that wasn't pulling anywhere even near 56k, trying to teach myself vi cause it was the only text editor on the box.
It was at that point that I groked the need to know a text editor that is almost everyplace, fast, and can be used with no GUI. And to be able to use it in your sleep. That's why I now only use vi.
Sure if you never mean to really do anything guis are fine. But if you are ever going to step up to the plate and put on your big boy pants vi is the only way to fly.
Cypherpunks: Civil Liberty Through Complex Mathematics. Those who live by the sword die by the arrow.
what the hell the /. icon for GNU topics is supposed to be? It looks like a little penis with a silly hat and a security blanket. WTF is it?
"Encyclopedia" is to "Wikipedia" what "Library" is to "Some people at a bus stop"
Chapter One: How to exit vi without rebooting the system.
Chapter Two: Learn how to put all your C++ programs and LaTeX documents in a single file.
Chapter Three: How to copy a block of text without having to count the number of lines.