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I might be biased here, but I come from a long time windows OS background. I started recently using macOS as well. If I used linux as my primary OS, I probably

I might be biased here, but I come from a long time windows OS background. I started recently using macOS as well. If I used linux as my primary OS, I probably would use VIM/emacs much more. Editor is the most important tool, I agree with you. I still use VIM when working with servers, but that's about it. I mostly do frontend development so I don't see a huge amount of value investing in emacs. My perspectives might change down the road, when I start working on backend infrastructure. I still think emacs has too high of a learning curve for the value you get out of it. Installing emacs on windows is not entirely straightforward either, I have to go watch a video to even install it. I write my own scripts and macros on windows all the time though. The reason why I prefer GUI interfaces is because I can only deal with so much cognitive overhead. I still initialize most things using a CLI (e.g. cloning a git repo). However I don't only do programming, I also do UX, graphics design, and 3D CAD modelling among other things. Emacs should have enough value to warrant the amount of cognitive overhead it cost. It does if you only program though.

earenndil 8y ago
Ime, it reduces cognitive overhead. At this point, it's just intuitive how to do a given thing in vim, and doing it in another editor would take longer for no perceptible gain. I tried to use clion once for a project, I really tried, I used the ideavim plugin so my keybindings were right at home and it just felt clunky. The process of committing seemed so much more difficult and convoluted than just a quick git diff/git status followed by git commit. Changing files required me to use the mouse (I'm sure it's possible to do it with the keyboard, but not in such a configurable way). Building I had less control over so I had to think about what it was doing whereas I can at the drop of a hat switch between 'make', 'make debug', 'make opt', 'make clean; make' (if there are unfound artifacts). Using a new file-type doesn't require me to install a whole heavy plugin that integrates with the build system and completer, I just need a syntax highlighter (which more than likely is already there) and I'm golden.[
xfer 8y ago
You're right, keyboard shortcuts only become useful when you spend most of your time in that tool. If the tool is only used occasionally, i too prefer GUIs, because they are easy to get started with.
- Kagerjay 8y ago
  I had my devOps friend whom I consider to be a hardcore VIM poweruser, walk me through her workflow VIM on linux can do some absolutely amazing things with just a keyboard and a single monitor. More so than any other application I've seen. You don't need the touchpad at all. Swapping from insert mode, normal, visual, select etc. VIM has much stronger capabilities when it comes to editing code / text. It takes very few keystrokes to do common types of text manipulation. With my macbook I always misclick things fairly frequently because I'm not used to a touchpad. Emacs I don't know any hardcore powerusers, but from what I've seen its similar except its more reactive to inputs Even though I don't intend on using Emacs or Vim to that level, I still think its worth learning. There's many ideas from these toolsets to implement into your own workflow.

earenndil 8y ago

Ime, it reduces cognitive overhead. At this point, it's just intuitive how to do a given thing in vim, and doing it in another editor would take longer for no perceptible gain. I tried to use clion once for a project, I really tried, I used the ideavim plugin so my keybindings were right at home and it just felt clunky. The process of committing seemed so much more difficult and convoluted than just a quick git diff/git status followed by git commit. Changing files required me to use the mouse (I'm sure it's possible to do it with the keyboard, but not in such a configurable way). Building I had less control over so I had to think about what it was doing whereas I can at the drop of a hat switch between 'make', 'make debug', 'make opt', 'make clean; make' (if there are unfound artifacts). Using a new file-type doesn't require me to install a whole heavy plugin that integrates with the build system and completer, I just need a syntax highlighter (which more than likely is already there) and I'm golden.[

xfer 8y ago

You're right, keyboard shortcuts only become useful when you spend most of your time in that tool. If the tool is only used occasionally, i too prefer GUIs, because they are easy to get started with.

Kagerjay 8y ago
I had my devOps friend whom I consider to be a hardcore VIM poweruser, walk me through her workflow VIM on linux can do some absolutely amazing things with just a keyboard and a single monitor. More so than any other application I've seen. You don't need the touchpad at all. Swapping from insert mode, normal, visual, select etc. VIM has much stronger capabilities when it comes to editing code / text. It takes very few keystrokes to do common types of text manipulation. With my macbook I always misclick things fairly frequently because I'm not used to a touchpad. Emacs I don't know any hardcore powerusers, but from what I've seen its similar except its more reactive to inputs Even though I don't intend on using Emacs or Vim to that level, I still think its worth learning. There's many ideas from these toolsets to implement into your own workflow.