Making Emacs Popular Again (lwn.net)

Article summary

The Emacs editor, once widely popular, has fallen into relative obscurity, and its developers are discussing ways to make it more appealing to new users. The discussion revolves around improving the editor's aesthetic and usability, as well as addressing technical and licensing issues. Some argue that Emacs' unique features and customization options are its strengths, while others believe that a more modern and user-friendly interface is needed to attract new users. The Emacs community is divided on how to balance the needs of existing users with the goal of attracting new ones.

Main themes

• Emacs adoption and popularity
• User interface and usability
• Customization and extensibility
• Marketing and presentation
• Learning curve and complexity
• Community priorities and values
• Technical and licensing issues
• Editor comparison and competition

What commenters say

• Emacs' learning curve is a significant barrier to adoption, and the editor's unique terminology and notation can be intimidating to new users.
• The editor's customization options and extensibility are its greatest strengths, and should be emphasized in attracting new users.
• The notion that Emacs is difficult to use is overstated, and the editor is actually more accessible than other complex tools like Vim.
• Marketing and presentation are crucial in attracting new users to Emacs, and the community should focus on showcasing the editor's capabilities rather than apologizing for its complexity.
• The use of compact notation for keybindings is a minor complication in the learning curve of Emacs, and is actually helpful for experienced users.
• Emacs' user-hostile terminology and notation are significant obstacles to adoption, and should be reevaluated to make the editor more accessible.
• The community should prioritize the needs of existing users over hypothetical new users, and focus on refining the editor's existing features rather than trying to appeal to a broader audience.
• The editor's unique features and customization options are what set it apart from other editors, and should be preserved and emphasized in any efforts to attract new users.