7 ms·

“Mastering Emacs” ebook announced

61 points by deng 12y ago

joshkaufman 12y ago
I've always been curious about Emacs, but I haven't made time to really dig into it. A resource like this will be very helpful. Looking forward to reading it!
- michaelsbradley 12y ago
  I found Bozhidar Batsov's Prelude to provide a solid "foundational config" for getting started with an editor that is configurable to the max: https://github.com/bbatsov/prelude https://github.com/bbatsov/prelude I installed an earlier version of it 3+ years ago and then worked through the standard tutorial a couple of times, invoked with "C-h t" (control-key + h-key, then t-key). After that, I was off and running with Emacs! Once some familiarity with Emacs Lisp (elisp) has been acquired, a careful study of the prelude sources and the sources of various packages installed by prelude is a great way to acquire a deeper understanding of how to wire things together inside Emacs. A decent way to get started learning elisp is to read the introductory text hosted on gnu.org: An Introduction to Programming in Emacs Lisp https://www.gnu.org/software/emacs/manual/eintr.html https://www.gnu.org/software/emacs/manual/eintr.html Pro tip: if you haven't done so previously, you may want to remap your caps lock key (via OS settings) to act as an additional control-key – some users find caps lock easier to reach for with their left pinky finger than the left-control-key on many keyboards.
- avtar 12y ago
  While it doesn't expose you to default key bindings (by default), I've been really digging this project https://github.com/syl20bnr/spacemacs https://github.com/syl20bnr/spacemacs as a gentle and more intuitive introduction into the world of Emacs.
  - crucialfelix 12y ago
    this is the one that finally got me a solid emacs config that I'm happy with. and i haven't even started adding my own configuration layers yet. finally I am faster on emacs (with vim keybindings) that I am on atom or sublime. that, for me, is the tipping point.
theophrastus 12y ago
Potentially interesting source, to be sure. But just a bit discombobulating to depict a nice looking hard-bound paper book at the top of the web-page only to read on the bottom: "The book is ebook only for now. I will supply the book in PDF and ePub formats"
- mickeyp 12y ago
  It will appear in dead tree format too, but I want it be high quality and I have yet to truly investigate Print on Demand services. (But suggestions welcome.)
  - joshkaufman 12y ago
    I'd recommend checking into CreateSpace - I've done an enormous amount of research into print-on-demand services this year, and CreateSpace has the best total package (cost / ease-of-use / broad distribution) at the moment. Lightning Source is also worth looking into for direct distribution, but if you intend to sell on Amazon, CreateSpace is the service to beat.
  - vincente 12y ago
    Check out https://www.createspace.com/pub/l/general_amazon.do?rewrite=true&ref=115576&utm_id=4458 https://www.createspace.com/pub/l/general_amazon.do?rewrite=... (I work at Amazon, but not part of the MoD teams)
  - bbcbasic 12y ago
    I hope you print it on recycled paper. Dead tree reincarnated is better.
melling 12y ago
One feature where Emacs seems to be lacking is 'out of the box' text completion and IntelliSense. I know that there are modes like IDO, auto-complete, and probably others, but editors like Sublime and IntelliJ just work with zero effort. A detailed explanation on how to best configure Emacs would go a long way in making it easier to get started.
- abroncs 12y ago
  Check out Spacemacs. It tries to be just this: Emacs with a lot of plugins out of the box, sane keyboard shortcuts and Evil integration if you want it.
  - melling 12y ago
    Cool, I like the "Batteries Included" attitude. https://github.com/syl20bnr/spacemacs https://github.com/syl20bnr/spacemacs
- frou_dh 12y ago
  Sublime has completion of tokens but doesn't come with any IntelliSense to speak of. How well its symbol-indexing works is also heavily dependant on the robustness of the regex-y grammar in the particular language package that's active. Still, as far as non-IDEs go, it is pretty capable and I do enjoy using it.
- brudgers 12y ago
  Does intelluJ support J or SMLNJ? Of course not because it's an IDE, not a text editor. Emacs selling point is its great power. The price of that power a learning curve.
  - melling 12y ago
    IntelliJ is extensible. It certainly has the ability support any language you want. http://plugins.jetbrains.com/?dbe http://plugins.jetbrains.com/?dbe Someone wrote those modes for Emacs, which is great. Anyway, that's not the point, and your classic attitude dissuade new users. My comment was made because someone is writing a book about mastering Emacs. It's a great topic, and in a competitive world with limited time, developers want to get started quickly.
wgato 12y ago
i just want it to not use the color midnight blue.

61 points by deng 12y ago

I've always been curious about Emacs, but I haven't made time to really dig into it. A resource like this will be very helpful. Looking forward to reading it!

michaelsbradley 12y ago
I found Bozhidar Batsov's Prelude to provide a solid "foundational config" for getting started with an editor that is configurable to the max: https://github.com/bbatsov/prelude https://github.com/bbatsov/prelude I installed an earlier version of it 3+ years ago and then worked through the standard tutorial a couple of times, invoked with "C-h t" (control-key + h-key, then t-key). After that, I was off and running with Emacs! Once some familiarity with Emacs Lisp (elisp) has been acquired, a careful study of the prelude sources and the sources of various packages installed by prelude is a great way to acquire a deeper understanding of how to wire things together inside Emacs. A decent way to get started learning elisp is to read the introductory text hosted on gnu.org: An Introduction to Programming in Emacs Lisp https://www.gnu.org/software/emacs/manual/eintr.html https://www.gnu.org/software/emacs/manual/eintr.html Pro tip: if you haven't done so previously, you may want to remap your caps lock key (via OS settings) to act as an additional control-key – some users find caps lock easier to reach for with their left pinky finger than the left-control-key on many keyboards.
avtar 12y ago
While it doesn't expose you to default key bindings (by default), I've been really digging this project https://github.com/syl20bnr/spacemacs https://github.com/syl20bnr/spacemacs as a gentle and more intuitive introduction into the world of Emacs.
- crucialfelix 12y ago
  this is the one that finally got me a solid emacs config that I'm happy with. and i haven't even started adding my own configuration layers yet. finally I am faster on emacs (with vim keybindings) that I am on atom or sublime. that, for me, is the tipping point.

theophrastus 12y ago

Potentially interesting source, to be sure. But just a bit discombobulating to depict a nice looking hard-bound paper book at the top of the web-page only to read on the bottom: "The book is ebook only for now. I will supply the book in PDF and ePub formats"

mickeyp 12y ago
It will appear in dead tree format too, but I want it be high quality and I have yet to truly investigate Print on Demand services. (But suggestions welcome.)
- joshkaufman 12y ago
  I'd recommend checking into CreateSpace - I've done an enormous amount of research into print-on-demand services this year, and CreateSpace has the best total package (cost / ease-of-use / broad distribution) at the moment. Lightning Source is also worth looking into for direct distribution, but if you intend to sell on Amazon, CreateSpace is the service to beat.
- vincente 12y ago
  Check out https://www.createspace.com/pub/l/general_amazon.do?rewrite=true&ref=115576&utm_id=4458 https://www.createspace.com/pub/l/general_amazon.do?rewrite=... (I work at Amazon, but not part of the MoD teams)
- bbcbasic 12y ago
  I hope you print it on recycled paper. Dead tree reincarnated is better.

melling 12y ago

One feature where Emacs seems to be lacking is 'out of the box' text completion and IntelliSense. I know that there are modes like IDO, auto-complete, and probably others, but editors like Sublime and IntelliJ just work with zero effort. A detailed explanation on how to best configure Emacs would go a long way in making it easier to get started.

abroncs 12y ago
Check out Spacemacs. It tries to be just this: Emacs with a lot of plugins out of the box, sane keyboard shortcuts and Evil integration if you want it.
- melling 12y ago
  Cool, I like the "Batteries Included" attitude. https://github.com/syl20bnr/spacemacs https://github.com/syl20bnr/spacemacs
frou_dh 12y ago
Sublime has completion of tokens but doesn't come with any IntelliSense to speak of. How well its symbol-indexing works is also heavily dependant on the robustness of the regex-y grammar in the particular language package that's active. Still, as far as non-IDEs go, it is pretty capable and I do enjoy using it.
brudgers 12y ago
Does intelluJ support J or SMLNJ? Of course not because it's an IDE, not a text editor. Emacs selling point is its great power. The price of that power a learning curve.
- melling 12y ago
  IntelliJ is extensible. It certainly has the ability support any language you want. http://plugins.jetbrains.com/?dbe http://plugins.jetbrains.com/?dbe Someone wrote those modes for Emacs, which is great. Anyway, that's not the point, and your classic attitude dissuade new users. My comment was made because someone is writing a book about mastering Emacs. It's a great topic, and in a competitive world with limited time, developers want to get started quickly.

wgato 12y ago

i just want it to not use the color midnight blue.