Re: Will default key bindings spell the death of Emacs?

[Robert J. Chassell]

address@hidden (David Kastrup) wrote:

   I was giving an example for a user interface.  What Emacs has nowadays
   does not really deserve that name.

But that particular kind of user interface is not the only kind that
exists.  Emacs provides two excellent user interfaces.  However,
neither are the kind you are talking about.  (I agree that Emacs is
missing that kind.)

My point is that there are several different kinds of user interface.
It is misleading to say that

    .... an example for a user interface.  What Emacs has nowadays
    does not really deserve that name.

because that suggests that Emacs lacks a decent user interface.  

On the contrary, Emacs provides two really good user interfaces that
should not be devalued:

  * a user interface for people who are permanently or situationally
    blind (Emacs does), and,

  * a user interface for people who desire to change more than three
    bindings at one time efficiently and who are willing to spend
    time, but less than the time of doing it awkwardly, learning how
    to do this.

I agree that Emacs could do better to also provide a user interface
for people who are sighted and who do not want to learn a more
efficent technique, but it is a mistake to write as if that particular
kind of user interface is the only worthy kind.

   > But at the same time, Emacs should also provide ...

   This is a somewhat orthogonal aim.  I don't see why one should make
   the availability of one user interface depend on that of another.

I am not saying we should make one depend on another.  I am saying
that a user interface for the blind is important, as is a user
interface for those who desire to work with computers comfortably,
quickly, and efficiently.  And neither of these two kinds of user
interface should be relegated to the near invisible status of a notion
that does `not really deserve [a] name.'

-- 
    Robert J. Chassell                         Rattlesnake Enterprises
    http://www.rattlesnake.com                  GnuPG Key ID: 004B4AC8
    http://www.teak.cc                             address@hidden