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docs(web/blog): Rewrite some style issues in the Emacs post

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Vincent Ambo 2020-02-10 01:24:34 +00:00
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web/blog/posts/emacs-is-underrated.md
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@ -1,15 +1,15 @@
TODO: Hello, and thanks for offering to review my draft! The intention TODO: Hello, and thanks for offering to review my draft! This post
of this post is to convey to people what the point of Emacs is. Not intends to convey to people what the point of Emacs is. Not to convert
with the intention of converting them to use it, but at least with them to use it, but at least with opening their minds to the
opening their minds to the possibility that it might contain valuable possibility that it might contain valuable things. I don't know if I'm
things. I don't know if I'm on track in the right direction and your on track in the right direction, and your input will help me figure it
input will help me figure it out. Thanks! out. Thanks!
There are two kinds of people: Those who use Emacs, and those who There are two kinds of people: Those who use Emacs, and those who
think it is a text editor. This post is aimed at those in the second think it is a text editor. This post is aimed at those in the second
category. category.
Emacs is the most important piece of software I run. My [Emacs Emacs is the most critical piece of software I run. My [Emacs
configuration][emacs-config] has steadily evolved for almost a decade. configuration][emacs-config] has steadily evolved for almost a decade.
Emacs is my window manager, mail client, terminal, git client, Emacs is my window manager, mail client, terminal, git client,
information management system and - perhaps unsurprisingly - text information management system and - perhaps unsurprisingly - text
@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ Things look a bit different this time - after all, the program is
open-source! You can go and fetch its source code, figure out its open-source! You can go and fetch its source code, figure out its
internal structure and wrangle various layers of code into submission internal structure and wrangle various layers of code into submission
until you find the piece that implements the functionality you want to until you find the piece that implements the functionality you want to
change. If you know the language it is written in, you can modify the change. If you know the language it is written in; you can modify the
feature. feature.
Now all that's left is figuring out its build system[^1], building and Now all that's left is figuring out its build system[^1], building and
@ -62,19 +62,19 @@ was using a program called Helm, which is similar in spirit to dmenu,
that let me select installed programs interactively and press that let me select installed programs interactively and press
<kbd>RET</kbd> to execute them. <kbd>RET</kbd> to execute them.
This was very useful - until I discovered that if I tried to open a Helm was very useful - until I discovered that if I tried to open a
second terminal emulator while one was already running it would second terminal emulator while one was already running, it would
display an error: display an error:
Error: urxvt is already running Error: urxvt is already running
Now if this had been dmenu, I might have had to go through the whole Had this been dmenu, I might have had to go through the whole process
process described above to fix the issue. But it wasn't dmenu - it was described above to fix the issue. But it wasn't dmenu - it was an
an Emacs program, and I did the following things: Emacs program, and I did the following things:
1. I pressed <kbd>C-h k</kbd>[^2] (which means "please tell me what 1. I pressed <kbd>C-h k</kbd>[^2] (which means "please tell me what
the following key does"), followed by <kbd>s-d</kbd> (which was my the following key does"), followed by <kbd>s-d</kbd> (which was my
key binding for launching programs). keybinding for launching programs).
2. Emacs displayed a new buffer saying, roughly: 2. Emacs displayed a new buffer saying, roughly:
@ -124,8 +124,7 @@ The core of Emacs implements the language and the functionality needed
to evaluate and run it, as well as various primitives for user to evaluate and run it, as well as various primitives for user
interface construction such as buffers, windows and frames. interface construction such as buffers, windows and frames.
Everything else that people think of when Emacs is mentioned is Every other feature of Emacs is implemented *in Emacs Lisp*.
implemented *in Emacs Lisp*.
The Emacs distribution ships with rudimentary text editing The Emacs distribution ships with rudimentary text editing
functionality (and some language-specific support for the most popular functionality (and some language-specific support for the most popular
@ -137,12 +136,12 @@ Outside of the core distribution there is a myriad of available
programs for Emacs: [magit][] (the famous git porcelain), text-based programs for Emacs: [magit][] (the famous git porcelain), text-based
[HTTP clients][], even interactive [Kubernetes frontends][k8s]. [HTTP clients][], even interactive [Kubernetes frontends][k8s].
What all of these tools have in common is that they gain the What all of these tools have in common is that they can be
introspectability and composability of everything else in Emacs. introspected and composed like everything else in Emacs.
If magit does not expose a git flag I need, it's trivial to add. If I If magit does not expose a git flag I need, it's trivial to add. If I
want a key binding to jump from a buffer showing me a Kubernetes pod want a keybinding to jump from a buffer showing me a Kubernetes pod to
to a magit buffer for the source code of the container it only takes a a magit buffer for the source code of the container, it only takes a
few lines of Emacs Lisp to implement. few lines of Emacs Lisp to implement.
As proficiency with Emacs Lisp ramps up, the environment becomes As proficiency with Emacs Lisp ramps up, the environment becomes
@ -151,16 +150,16 @@ Muscle memory learned for one program translates seamlessly to others,
and the overall effect is an improvement in *workflow fluidity* that and the overall effect is an improvement in *workflow fluidity* that
is difficult to overstate. is difficult to overstate.
In addition, workflows based on Emacs are *stable*. Moving my window Also, workflows based on Emacs are *stable*. Moving my window
management to Emacs has meant that I'm not subject to some third-party management to Emacs has meant that I'm not subject to the whim of some
developer deciding that my window layouting features will now change third-party developer changing my window layouting features (as they
(as they often do on systems like MacOS). often do on MacOS).
To illustrate this: Emacs has development history all the way back to To illustrate this: Emacs has development history back to the 1970s,
the 1970s, continuous git history that survived multiple VCS continuous git history that survived multiple VCS migrations [since
migrations [since 1985][first-commit] (that's 22 years before git 1985][first-commit] (that's 22 years before git itself was released!)
itself was released!) and there is code[^3] implementing interactive and there is code[^3] implementing interactive functionality that has
functionality that has survived unmodified in Emacs *since then*. survived unmodified in Emacs *since then*.
--------------- ---------------
@ -173,8 +172,9 @@ the context of todo-management apps):
> to be Emacs might be the saddest thing I've ever heard > to be Emacs might be the saddest thing I've ever heard
What bothers me is that people see this as *sad*. Emacs being around What bothers me is that people see this as *sad*. Emacs being around
for this long and still being unparlleled for many of the UX paradigms for this long and still being unparalleled for many of the UX
implemented by its programs is, in my book, incredible - and not sad. paradigms implemented by its programs is, in my book, incredible - and
not sad.
How many other paradigms have survived this long? How many other tools How many other paradigms have survived this long? How many other tools
still have fervent followers, amazing [developer tooling][] and a still have fervent followers, amazing [developer tooling][] and a
@ -186,10 +186,10 @@ Name.
What I wish you, the reader, should take away from this post is the What I wish you, the reader, should take away from this post is the
following: following:
TODO(tazjin): Figure out what people should actually take away from TODO(tazjin): Figure out what people should take away from this post.
this post. I need to sleep on it. It's something about not dismissing I need to sleep on it. It's something about not dismissing tools just
tools just because of their age, urging them to explore paradigms that because of their age, urging them to explore paradigms that might seem
might seem unfamiliar and so on. Ideas welcome. unfamiliar and so on. Ideas welcome.
--------------- ---------------