Re: Emacs terminology (not again!?) [was: Apologia for bzr]

[David Kastrup]

Tom <address@hidden> writes:

> David Kastrup <dak <at> gnu.org> writes:
>> 
>> It's more like "it's unavoidable to provide difficulties to learning
>> because it can do a lot, and when a lot is easily accessible, you'll
>> have stuff getting in your hair accidentally".
>
> Arbitrary roadblocks can be removed, though.
>
> For example, yank is not a superior term to paste, so paste could be
> used instead. One unnecessary difference less.

You mean, unnecessary similarity.  This has a C-y keyboard binding, and
vi uses y and Y bindings for yanking as well.

> Emacs provides enough material to learn without these arbitrary
> (legacy) differences, so these should be eliminated where possible.

The problem is that they are not "arbitrary" but deeply ingrained into
the choice of keyboard sequences.  And C-x and C-c are pretty much the
most reliably accessible control characters, so they make good sense for
starting multiple keystroke sequences.

What _is_ somewhat annoying in contrast is the positioning of C-b C-n
C-p and C-f.  The hjkl sequences of vi or C-s C-x C-e C-d sequences of
WordStar make more sense.

-- 
David Kastrup