Re: Org expert mode?

[Scott Randby <srandby@gmail.com>]

On 03/10/2011 05:05 AM, Bastien wrote:
> So I naturally thought of something like an "Org Expert mode": when
> turned off, the UI would *not* give access to complex features and
> perhaps display more helpful messages on simple ones; when turned on,
> Org would have a less verbose UI (think of the C-c C-e window, do we
> really want to *read* it all the times?) and give access to all the
> complex features.

While I don't consider myself to be an org-mode expert, I have been
using it for several years to keep track of appointments, make web
pages, take notes, and record grades. I've never found things like the
C-c C-e window to be a problem even though 99% of the time I'll do
something like C-c C-e h without looking at the window. But I appreciate
that window the 1% of the time I do look at it because it shows me that
there are features available that might be useful in the future. The
window provides an easy opportunity for learning and exploration.

If there is a basic mode that somehow hides complex features, then some
users may never become aware of those features and what they might do
with those features. I've discovered so much because nothing in org-mode
is hidden or separated. The manual provides an excellent introduction
for new users and it allows them to decide which features they wish to
start with, which features they can ignore, and which features they
might want to learn about in the future.

I think everything should be turned on by default. It is easier for an
expert to figure out how to turn something off than it is for the
non-expert to turn something on. And I've never found a feature that I
don't use getting in the way of my work.

Scott Randby