rob@philabs.Philips.Com (Rob Robertson) (05/29/87)
I just got the gnuest Gnu Emacs manual from the FSF. I like it.
It's really a pretty little thing. A yellow cover with a knight
riding a gnu, chasing an evil software hoarder trying to make off with
ill gotten money.
The quality of the binding pretty impressive for ten bucks (fifteen if
you buy them individually). I'm used to the TECO/v16 manuals, 8.5" x
11" with a staple through the back. With heavy use the covers of the
old manuals usually got ripped off and slowly the pages start to fall
off, one by one. The version 18 manuals are much better, bound like
the Usenix 4.3 manuals with a plastic ring binder, and a glossy
paperback cover, they seem better able to take a beating. The size is
just a hair bigger than the Usenix manuals. While the internal format
of the manual hasn't changed much, reducing the size has made the
manual much more asthetically pleasing. In back there is a pull out
reference card, printed on heavy stock that's also pretty handy.
The manual is fairly easy to use. It is both a good reference manual
and a good user manual. Stallman has broken down the topics into
related subgroups fairly well, so if one wants to read about a
particular feature, just flip to the proper chapter and read. With
three indexes (indice's??), a Command and Function, Variable and
Concept index, looking up topics and features is also easy.
There are two major problems/deficencies with the manual. The first
is that elisp programming is not covered at all. From what I
understand a Gnu Emacs Programmer's Manual is in the works. The other
problem is that only the basic Modes and elisp packages are covered.
If you want to learn how to use the rnews, telnet, or the modula-2
mode, yer outta luck, and will probably have to read the online stuff.
This is a pretty big hinderance, 'cause it's nice to know what
packages exist and how to use them without having to go through the
elisp directory.
All in all, I like the manual alot, and recommend it to anyone who
just wants to increase their understanding of Gnu Emacs, and use it
more efficiently. Kudos to the Free Software Foundation people for
the quality binding and printing. For ten dollars, it's a steal,
and is a nice way of helping out the FSF and their work.
rob
--
william robertson rob@philabs.philips.com
"indecision is the key to flexibility"jr@ALEXANDER.BBN.COM (John Robinson) (06/01/87)
>> There are two major problems/deficencies with the manual. The first >> is that elisp programming is not covered at all. >> The other >> problem is that only the basic Modes and elisp packages are covered. >> If you want to learn how to use the rnews, telnet, or the modula-2 >> mode, yer outta luck, and will probably have to read the online stuff. My approach has always been to just go read elisp code to see how it works. Many times the thing you want is not too different from what already exists somewhere; thus getting Ada mode from Modula2 mode. If you have gotten something working this way, you may be able to find a wizard who would be willing to look over what you have done to soup it up. Learning Lisp (everyone should do this anyway) can happen from a number of the books out there, such as Winston and Horn. I agree that a good manual is worth a lot, and the Gnu emacs manual is as good as Rob says it is. I am just trying to put in a word for cooperative tool development, which is of course how this emacs came to be what it is now. /jr jr@bbn.com or jr@bbnccv.uucp Without life, there wouldn't be chemical companies.