Re: a look at the browser scene & emacs

[Tassilo Horn]

Xah Lee <xahlee@gmail.com> writes:

Hi Xah,

> is the suggestion of using modern standard shortcut set of X C V for
> Cut, Copy, Paste, of which Linux uses, means it is turning emacs to a
> fancy Notepad clone?

The functionality stays the same, but IMO it would confuse most users.
Killing is not cutting, yanking is not pasting.  The whole concepts
(kill-ring vs. simple copy&paste) are much different.

> Is fixing emacs's confusing undo and no redo, that is periodically
> bitched by programer in blogs, considered making emacs into a Notepad
> clone?

It's much more advanced than the usual sequential undo, but I admit that
it can get confusing sometimes.  So instead of dropping it I'd prefer to
think about a better UI for it.

> Is the suggestion for a statistics based ergonomic keybinding design
> that are more faster to execute, easier on the fingers, and easier to
> remember, mean it is turning emacs to a fancy notepad clone?

Users use different commands and your bindings may be better for you on
your querty keyboard, but I'm sure they're not on my German Dvorak Type
II keyboard.

> is the suggestion of getting rid of *scratch* buffer, and introduce a
> command “New” with shortcut Ctrl+n, that creates new buffer anytime
> anywhere, which lets user create multiple scratch buffers defaulting
> to any mode and compatible for the rest of Linux's shortcuts, means it
> is a fancy Microsoft Notepad?

Such a easy key like C-n is much too valuable for such a rarely used
command.  C-x b foobar RET is ok, isn't it?

> is the suggestion of changing notation from C- and M- to Ctrl+ and Alt
> +, such that it reflects the lable on the keyboard, and Richard
> Stallman agrees may be a good idea, means it's Notepad?

Nope, but I'm not sure if it's possible for emacs to get the right key.
Here, M is Alt, but Ctrl is indeed on the CapsLock key...

And it makes key sequences much longer to write with little or no
benefit.

> is the suggestion of supporting html mail, and interface to gmail out
> of the box, means it's becoming Microsoft Notepad?

Definitively not.  AFAIK Gnus can handle gmail accounts quite well.
Reading HTML mail works nice, too (with emacs-w3m as helper).  A simple
editor would be nice for some people, too.  But I guess that most
current devs arent interested in writing one, cause in "the tech
geekers" world mail is in text/plain.

Bye,
Tassilo