Which Emacs on Ubuntu

Which Emacs on Ubuntu

[Graham Smith]

I have had to do a fresh install of Ubuntu 9.10, and on going to
re-install Emacs, I see lots of choices.

As I primarily use Emacs to run Orgmode and I find the list of Emacs
options rather confusing, can anyone here suggest which is the best
option to install.

The key choices seem to be Emacs 22 or 23  with or without GTK.

But there is also just an "emacs" option which is described as an
Emacs 23 meta package.

I realise this may well be an Ubuntu or Emacs question, but as I said
my main use for Emacs is Orgmode, so I think some advice from here may
be useful.

So any help would be appreciated.

Many thanks,

Graham

Re: Which Emacs on Ubuntu

[Eric S Fraga]

On Fri, 12 Feb 2010 20:25:03 +0000, Graham Smith <myotisone@gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> I have had to do a fresh install of Ubuntu 9.10, and on going to
> re-install Emacs, I see lots of choices.
> 
> As I primarily use Emacs to run Orgmode and I find the list of Emacs
> options rather confusing, can anyone here suggest which is the best
> option to install.
> 
> The key choices seem to be Emacs 22 or 23  with or without GTK.
> 
> But there is also just an "emacs" option which is described as an
> Emacs 23 meta package.
> 
> I realise this may well be an Ubuntu or Emacs question, but as I said
> my main use for Emacs is Orgmode, so I think some advice from here may
> be useful.
> 
> So any help would be appreciated.
> 
> Many thanks,
> 
> Graham

Emacs 23 without a doubt!  I cannot see any reason for using version
22 unless you have to.

My own preference is without GTK but, then again, I don't use any
typical window manager (I use ratpoison) as I don't like using the
mouse at all.

HTH,
eric

Re: Which Emacs on Ubuntu

[Graham Smith]

Eric,

> Emacs 23 without a doubt!  I cannot see any reason for using version
> 22 unless you have to.

Thanks, I was tempted to go for 23, but wasn't sure.

Graham

Re: Which Emacs on Ubuntu

[Ian Barton]

Graham Smith wrote:
> I have had to do a fresh install of Ubuntu 9.10, and on going to
> re-install Emacs, I see lots of choices.
> 
> As I primarily use Emacs to run Orgmode and I find the list of Emacs
> options rather confusing, can anyone here suggest which is the best
> option to install.
> 
> The key choices seem to be Emacs 22 or 23  with or without GTK.
> 
> But there is also just an "emacs" option which is described as an
> Emacs 23 meta package.
> 
> I realise this may well be an Ubuntu or Emacs question, but as I said
> my main use for Emacs is Orgmode, so I think some advice from here may
> be useful.
> 
> So any help would be appreciated.
> 

I use the emacs-snapshot ppa from 
https://launchpad.net/~ubuntu-elisp/+archive/ppa. I had some problems 
with the Ubuntu Emacs 23 package (menu drawing, etc). However, these 
have probably been fixed by now.

The snapshot is a bleeding edge version of Emacs, so you can expect bug 
fixes and new bugs - best of both worlds! Having said that I haven't 
encountered any bugs that affected me.

Ian.

Re: Which Emacs on Ubuntu

[Ryan Thompson]

Even the most unstable development snapshot of emacs usually beats the
MTBF of any other "stable" component of your operating system or
applications.

On Fri, Feb 12, 2010 at 12:47 PM, Ian Barton <lists@manor-farm.org> wrote:
> Graham Smith wrote:
>>
>> I have had to do a fresh install of Ubuntu 9.10, and on going to
>> re-install Emacs, I see lots of choices.
>>
>> As I primarily use Emacs to run Orgmode and I find the list of Emacs
>> options rather confusing, can anyone here suggest which is the best
>> option to install.
>>
>> The key choices seem to be Emacs 22 or 23  with or without GTK.
>>
>> But there is also just an "emacs" option which is described as an
>> Emacs 23 meta package.
>>
>> I realise this may well be an Ubuntu or Emacs question, but as I said
>> my main use for Emacs is Orgmode, so I think some advice from here may
>> be useful.
>>
>> So any help would be appreciated.
>>
>
> I use the emacs-snapshot ppa from
> https://launchpad.net/~ubuntu-elisp/+archive/ppa. I had some problems with
> the Ubuntu Emacs 23 package (menu drawing, etc). However, these have
> probably been fixed by now.
>
> The snapshot is a bleeding edge version of Emacs, so you can expect bug
> fixes and new bugs - best of both worlds! Having said that I haven't
> encountered any bugs that affected me.
>
> Ian.
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Emacs-orgmode mailing list
> Please use `Reply All' to send replies to the list.
> Emacs-orgmode@gnu.org
> http://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/emacs-orgmode
>

Re: Which Emacs on Ubuntu

[Ben Finney]

Graham Smith <myotisone@gmail.com> writes:

> As I primarily use Emacs to run Orgmode and I find the list of Emacs
> options rather confusing, can anyone here suggest which is the best
> option to install.

The purpose of the ‘emacs’ meta-package is to allow you to defer this to
the Ubuntu package managers. That is, by installing ‘emacs’ you will get
the “best” version of Emacs, updated as appropriate.

-- 
 \      “We tend to scoff at the beliefs of the ancients. But we can't |
  `\        scoff at them personally, to their faces, and this is what |
_o__)                                         annoys me.” —Jack Handey |
Ben Finney

Re: Which Emacs on Ubuntu

[Ben Finney]

Graham Smith <myotisone@gmail.com> writes:

> Thanks, I was tempted to go for 23, but wasn't sure.

Right. So, people who installed ‘emacs’ several years ago would have
Emacs 22, and then later, without changing their selection, the same
people got Emacs 23 when the Ubuntu package maintainers decided it was
ready.

If that appeals to you, just install the ‘emacs’ package.

-- 
 \       “If you are unable to leave your room, expose yourself in the |
  `\            window.” —instructions in case of fire, hotel, Finland |
_o__)                                                                  |
Ben Finney

Re: Which Emacs on Ubuntu

[Graham Smith]

Ian,

> I use the emacs-snapshot ppa from
> https://launchpad.net/~ubuntu-elisp/+archive/ppa. I had some problems with
> the Ubuntu Emacs 23 package (menu drawing, etc). However, these have
> probably been fixed by now.
>
> The snapshot is a bleeding edge version of Emacs, so you can expect bug
> fixes and new bugs - best of both worlds! Having said that I haven't
> encountered any bugs that affected me.

Given my limited experience with Ubuntu I am always a bit nervous with
bleeding edge but equally there is some confusion in Synaptic with
versions. However, this confusion is well and truly a Ubuntu issues
and  well off topic.

Graham

Re: Re: Which Emacs on Ubuntu

[Graham Smith]

Ben,

> Right. So, people who installed ‘emacs’ several years ago would have
> Emacs 22, and then later, without changing their selection, the same
> people got Emacs 23 when the Ubuntu package maintainers decided it was
> ready.

Thanks

In fact 'emacs' says its 23 but it actually installs 22.

I was pointed to this

https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/emacs22/+bug/462936


However, this confusion seems to 100% a Ubuntu issue and now well off
topic as it seems the consensus as regards Orgmode is Emacs 23.

Graham

Re: Which Emacs on Ubuntu

[Ian Barton]

Graham Smith wrote:
> Ian,
> 
>> I use the emacs-snapshot ppa from
>> https://launchpad.net/~ubuntu-elisp/+archive/ppa. I had some problems with
>> the Ubuntu Emacs 23 package (menu drawing, etc). However, these have
>> probably been fixed by now.
>>
>> The snapshot is a bleeding edge version of Emacs, so you can expect bug
>> fixes and new bugs - best of both worlds! Having said that I haven't
>> encountered any bugs that affected me.
> 
> Given my limited experience with Ubuntu I am always a bit nervous with
> bleeding edge but equally there is some confusion in Synaptic with
> versions. However, this confusion is well and truly a Ubuntu issues
> and  well off topic.
> 
As I said the emacs-snapshot package has been entirely stable for me. 
The nice thing about Debian based systems is that it's easy to uninstall 
stuff if it doesn't work for you.

The only thin I would caution against is mixing Emacs 22 and 23 on the 
same system. Usually this is OK. However Emacs 23 has lots of things 
built in e.g. epa for encryption, which require extra packages in Emacs 
22. Installing the Emacs 22 package for something that is built into 
Emacs 23 can sometimes cause problems with Emacs loading the wrong package.

Ian.