Re: Transient Mark Mode on by default

[M Jared Finder]

David d wrote:
> "paul r" <address@hidden> writes:
>
>   
> > 2008/3/30, M Jared Finder <address@hidden>:
> >
> >     
> > >  If you want to keep users coming to Emacs to stay with Emacs, cua-mode
> > >  should be on by default.
> > >       
> > Although I hope your POV is a bit extremist as of today, I think you
> > stated clearly the general trend. As I previously said between lines,
> > I'm experiencing similar behaviour of people giving up emacs after a
> > few days because of unacceptable (to them) drop in their
> > "productivity".
> >     
>
> cua-mode will not help them much.  Emacs will remain different.
>   

I can only speak for my own experience, and I consider myself a pretty 
experienced Emacs user.  I understand keyboard macros, Elisp extensions 
(and have even created a few of my own), the difference between C-f, 
M-f, C-M-f, and such.  I regularly navigate with M-., and enjoy 
displaying the same file in two buffers.  I have a .emacs that is over 
1000 lines.

And I use cua-mode.

You guys all say the experienced user never uses cua-mode, and that the 
newb would be confused because it makes Emacs inconsistent with itself.  
I completely disagree.  If cua-mode did not exist, I *would not be using 
Emacs today*.  Cut/copy/paste is such a fundamental concept to me, that 
learning new keys for them would have been (and STILL IS) intolerable.  
Cua-mode is a joy to use.  99% of the time, it does exactly what I want.

As a solution to this whole problem, why not place an option on the 
splash screen that chooses if cua-mode is on or not?  That way newer 
users will always see the option, right in their face, and it could 
default to being enabled if you see the splash screen.  Once you dismiss 
that screen, it can save the setting in the users .emacs.  And everyone 
here who hates cua-mode (and has already disabled the splash screen) 
will never know the difference.

 -- MJF