Software moves on at a break-neck pace these days--version numbers clock up ever quicker as vendors try to market their apps as the latest and greatest. Software generally ages badly, falling into a state of looking grossly out of date, lacking new functionality that we've come to depend upon as well as compatibility problems. Dear OSNews readers, what old software (5+ years) do you still use, why, and what problems do you come across in sticking with it? Read More for my own contribution to the list
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Member since:2008-01-07
Member since:2005-07-06
(aww c'mon no mention of emacs is complete without vi)
I remember when I loaded up emacs for the first time - I couldn't even find a way to exit it was that scary. After my brief exposure I quickly ran back to vi and remained there to this day; when I am in my university lectures I use vi for my note taking; small, reliable and functional - without all the usual fluff that comes with the typical note taking tool.
Member since:2005-08-18
Member since:2005-10-02
Member since:2008-05-22
Member since:2009-02-25
I really feel sorry for all of the users out there who have not discovered the glory of the user interface. Not only do they waste their time memorizing a different set of shortcuts for every task that needs a dedicated and properly designed application, they're not even aware that one size does not fit all.
As a common-sense-haver, a conversation like this is pointless, since I use applications for just about everything. Whenever I want to do something new, chances are that my package manager has it, and since I already know how to press buttons and hate learning dozens of obscure shortcuts - which research proves to be slower - getting an app is just an apt-get away.
Sorry, couldn't help myself.
Member since:2009-06-25
I don't think you get it. Emacs is Unix to next level, a unified shell interface to all those command line tools you can combine with pipes. With Emacs you can interactively combine them, following grep to the source files, moving or renaming a bunch of files, etc, all of this by means of Unix traditional tool suite.
When you oppose Emacs to user interface, you're simply showing you don't know Emacs enough to be saying your own way of using software is better: you don't have the keys to understand what Emacs is, it seems. Which is fine, but please, don't pretend you do.
Emacs is a platform hosting applications which share a user interface optimized to interact with text content. Amongst other things, of course.
Member since:
2006-05-30
I really feel sorry for all of the users out there who have not discovered the glory of the One True Editor. Not only do they waste their time memorizing a different UI paradigm for every task they could possibly ever want to use a computer for, they're not even aware of a Better Way (namely, Emacs, of course).
As an Emacs user, a conversation like this is pointless, since I use Emacs for just about everything. Whenever I want to do something new, chances are that Emacs can do it, and since I already know and love Emacs, getting a keymap for a new mode is just a C-h m away.
Emacs forever!