Re: "Why is emacs so square?"

[Eli Zaretskii]

> From: 조성빈 <address@hidden>
> Cc: Emacs developers <address@hidden>
> Date: Sat, 25 Apr 2020 02:57:17 +0900
> 
> 2020. 4. 25. 오전 1:39, ndame <address@hidden> 작성:
> 
> >> Maybe some improvements to the welcome screen. A better tutorial (which 
> >> showcases advanced features, not just the "alien" part of Emacs) and/or 
> >> some guides.
> > 
> > If the cursor keys work out of the box then the tutorial should
> > begin with features which can be used without learning new cursor keys,
> > demonstrating something which emacs does well or better than other
> > tools.
> 
> Yeah, Emacs should not position it as an obscure editor that only gurus use. 
> 
> > Is there such a thing? Or does learning emacs mostly pay off
> > for the advanced user? I can't think of a feature right know where
> > emacs shines for the casual user.
> 
> Org mode, magit, helm comes to my mind.
> Programmability should also be mentioned — one should show a step-by-step 
> tutorial that adds a new interactive function invokable by a keybinding.

A tutorial is not for "selling" Emacs.  It's a good idea to write such
a "sales" document, but it would be a separate document.

A tutorial is supposed to teach the users how to use Emacs, so it
should indeed start from the basics.  Whether those basics should or
shouldn't begin with cursor motion is a matter of opinion, but it
would be strange to see an Emacs tutorial that would begin by showing
how to enter and use Org, Magit, Helm, and other similar packages.  I
challenge you to even write about these features without mentioning
"buffer", "window", "mode line", and other basics of the Emacs UI.
How can you talk about these without first saying something about what
they are, what they show, how they can be used, etc.?