Re: Key bindings proposal

[Uday S Reddy]

Stuart Hacking writes:

> Emacs has a set of default keybindings which can be modified to suit
> the taste of the user. Where is the issue here? (Some software that I
> use will not let me redefine key bindings at all.)
> 
> Is the solution to distribute a version of emacs with no keybindings set? :)

Ok, so, you don't believe in the software-as-the-enemy principle?
Sorry for attributing it to you.

If I were to use your scheme to set up Emacs in the flexible way, I
would need to define an entire range of generic aliases like you did
for "isearch" in your message.  Then I need to overwrite pretty much
*all* the key bindings that the modes do with my own bindings so that
the keys are bound to these generic aliases.  

Such an idea wouldn't have occured to me normally, because I really
imagine the software to be a friend.  So, if it doesn't help me, I
would get annoyed instead of thinkings of ways to defeat it.  But the
latter can work too, as you have demonstrated.

Do I want to distribute emacs with no key bindings at all?  No, not at
all.  All I am saying is that Emacs, which calls itself the
"customizable extensible editor," should accommodate the users that
like its way of doing things as well as the users who want to do
things differently.  Making life a peach for the followers but really
difficult for the dissenters doesn't quite fit the bill.

Cheers,
Uday