GNU Emacs on GNU/Debian

[Andrei Maxim]

Hi group,

For starters, I'm quite a newcomer when it comes to Linux and I'm still in
the process of learning the basics and the tricks of my Debian Woody system.

One of my biggest problems (besides finding a nice display manager and a
good file manager besides Nautilus) is Emacs. While experimenting with Red
Hat 6.x and 7.x and Mandrake 8.x and even Slackware, I got used to punching
`emacs' and editing files. I even have a Reference Card printed and glued
next to my personal computer. Bottom line is that I like Emacs a lot.

Right now I am trying Debian and, even if it was a bit scary at the
begining, it worked out fine, except those little yet nasty problems.

What's wrong with Emacs, you say? Well, I use a 800x600 video mode and the
default Emacs is huge! The fonts are too big and I have to scroll around to
be able to write a whole line!
I've tried using the `-nw' switch to run it in a terminal window, but my
greatest surprize was that the Alt (Meta) key was gone. If I pressed Alt-x I
got an extra x in the buffer. In X, when I press Alt-`key' all I get is an
annoying beep.

I really liked the `standard' Emacs and I am wondering if there is a way to
make mine look like it.

TIA

-- 
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