Re: Arrow Keys?

[Eric Abrahamsen]

On Jun 7, 2009, at 7:58 PM, Lennart Borgman wrote:

> On Sun, Jun 7, 2009 at 1:02 PM, Christian
> Herenz<herenz@physik.hu-berlin.de> wrote:
> > Chris Gordon-Smith schrieb:
> > > Hello All
> > >
> > > I have recently started using Emacs on a regular basis. I read in  
> > > the
> > > Emacs documentation that it is more efficient to use C-N, C-P etc.  
> > > rather
> > > than arrow keys. Is this really true? I'm persisting with it, but  
> > > those
> > > arrow keys still seem pretty attractive.

I've been using emacs for less than a year. I feel comfortable with  
python mode, outline mode, dired, org-mode, slime and auctex. And yet,  
the stupid f-b-n-p issue is a constant pain. Why, in an editor that's  
utilized through habit and muscle memory, are the most primary  
navigation keys based on *mnemonic* devices like forward-back-next- 
previous? Why is that necessary? I can open files on remote servers,  
eval defuns, and relocate sub-trees easier than I can move forward  
three words and then move forward another two characters. I'm aware of  
solutions like ergo-movement or whatever, but it messes with the whole  
arrangement of keys and really isn't viable. Only now, after nearly a  
year of use, am I finally getting to the point where it is more  
efficient to reach for f-b-n-p than to reach for the arrow keys.

This is a rant. I have no real point. In the end, it's better to use f- 
b-n-p, but good Lord it takes a long time to get here.

E

> > Yeah... I also tend to use them frequently for navigational  
> > purposes. But, I
> > think the general idea is, that you dont have to move the hand away  
> > from the
> > area which it is on, when you are writing.
>
> ... and you can of course use Emacs with a vi key interface (Viper)
> which is (according to some people) more efficient ... once you have
> learned it of course ... ;-)