[cobalt-users] Emacs (Was: Re: mail-to resolved)

[Jeff Lasman <jblists@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Jens Kristian Søgaard wrote:

> Well, you can always customize the keybindings exactly as you like them. It
> is no problem.

There weren't any specific Emacs books at the Computer Fair; at least
none I could find, and I didn't have time to hit Borders (the best
bookstore in the states, imho), but I've just finished (last evening)
reading about Emacs in my "Programming with GNU Software" (O'Reilly)
book.  While it's only one chapter and aimed specifically at the use of
Emacs for programming, it gave me a lot of information.  It looks like
Emacs is extremely powerful, and I'm going to try to make some time to
study it.

I can't load Emacs/Windows on my current desktop system <frown>; I just
ran out of diskspace and had to uninstall seldom-used programs just to
keep running.  I'm setting up a new system as soon as I have the chance
(but I've been saying this for months) so it'll be anywhere from a few
days to a few weeks before I can do anything with Emacs on Windows. 
(Yes, I could install a larger hard disk, but the system really needs to
be replaced, and I've got one here to replace it with, so it's a good
time).

> You can "shell out" from any program on a Linux/Unix box by pressing C-z.
> But in Emacs you also have the possibility of using a shell-mode.

As I read.  Looks interesting.  Does this feature work in Windows, do
you know?

> Not, not at all. The Meta is a kind of modifier like you have the "shift"
> key. The special thing about the Meta key is, that it just adds 128 to the
> ASCII code of the key you're pressing. Pressing M-a would give a gode of 225
> (dec) for example.

I have no idea how the "windows" key works inside, but from a logical
point of view, I see it as a Meta key.  I gave up on trying to learn
Windows internals years ago, and with it, I suppose I gave up on knowing
the keyboard coding.  The Linux and BSD Unix (both freeBSD and BSDi)
work so well with PC keyboards I don't remember when the last time was I
had to write any kind of translation table.

> You can remap your Windows key to be a Meta key ofcourse (I use the
> Microsoft Natural keyboards on Linux machines. They are great.).

I use the "ergonomic" (split) design; I have no idea who the
manufacturer is; I've got two exactly the same on my desk; one is OEMed
by Mouse Systems, the other by LiteOn.  The KBs are exactly the same
inside and out.  I just buy 'em when I find 'em so I always have a few
extras.  The main advantage (for me) over the MS ergonomic KB is that
the "6" numeric key (top row, not the one on the numeric keypad) is on
the "right-hand" side.  Microsoft puts it on the left side and when I
learned touch-type about 41 years ago, I learned to press the 6 with my
right hand.  Hard to change.

> But then
> again, your keyboard is just a number of "switches" -- so you could equally
> choose your Enter key to be a Windows key. Or even better, make your
> keyboard a DVORAK-one instead of the boring QWERTY.

See above about a 41-year habit being hard to change <smile>.  I've used
a lot of keyboards over the years (did typesetting in an earlier life),
but I'll stick with QWERTY for now.

> Well, Compose keys are _very_ good, when you're working with several
> languages and special characters. I use my computer to write Danish, English
> and German -- and the Compose key is a very easy way to get umlauts,
> accents, etc. It can also be used to find "hard" chars like the ? sign, etc.

I just got a "?" (question-mark); what do you mean by "hard"?

> > You're telling this to someone who doesn't believe in online
> > book-reading.  I do it, but I don't like it.  I'll see what I can find
> > at the Computer Fair today; otherwise I'll do online reading.
> 
> Well, buy the book then. It's written by a local Dane, so I won't object :-)

I probably will, in the near future.

> If you want a head-start, I'll recommend that you take the interactive
> tutorial in Emacs. It gives you the possibility to try out a lot of things,
> without being able to make errors or crash anything.

That'll be my next step; I read about it in my book, last evening. 
Looks like a great way to start.  Again, thanks for the heads up.

(And now for the rest of you... no, I didn't think this offtopic; I
think that we need to learn what's on our RaQs and Qubes, and how to use
everything to make our lives easier.)

Jeff
-- 
Jeff Lasman <jblists@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
nobaloney.net
P. O. Box 52672
Riverside, CA  92517
voice: (909) 787-8589  *  fax: (909) 782-0205