Re: Emacs learning curve

[David Kastrup]

Lennart Borgman <address@hidden> writes:

> On Sat, Jul 17, 2010 at 7:51 PM, Chong Yidong <address@hidden> wrote:
>> Ivan Kanis <address@hidden> writes:
>>
>>> I think turning on CUA mode by default would help first time users. If
>>> there's a one line of lisp to turn it off and have the old behavior I
>>> don't mind. I don't think veteran emacs user would mind either.
>>
>> No, having CUA mode on by default is off the table.
>>
>> This proposal has been discussed before, and there are many problems
>> with it.  For instance, by default, C-c LETTER is reserved for user
>> customizations; CUA prevents such key bindings when the region is
>> active.
>
> Is not this a reason for making CUA mode default?

No.

> As long as it is not the default it will be a second class citizen

It will remain a second class citizen, period, because its operation
interferes with the normal Emacs operation and its most important
keybindings.

> and obstacles like this will remains. And those makes it quite a bit
> harder for new users.

Yes, getting coherent behavior from Emacs is much harder with CUA mode
enabled.  It is not a good default setting for new users.

>> Let's not revisit this discussion.  It is not difficult to turn on
>> CUA mode, for those who want it; it's even in the Options menu.
>
> That is not the problem.

The problem is that some people can't take "no" for an answer and will
pretend they have not been given ample hearing when the results of a
rational discussion were not to their liking.

The Emacs developing list is being bogged down increasingly by repeated
whinings that pretend an issue has not already been exhaustively
covered.  That is annoying enough when new people jump into the list
without educating themselves about the status quo.  When, however, the
same people keep doing it, with the implied threat that they'll keep
this up indefinitely, keeping the rest of the list from doing useful
work until their bidding is done, it is not funny.

-- 
David Kastrup