Re: (no subject)

[Nicolas Goaziou <n.goaziou@gmail.com>]

Hello,

tftorrey@tftorrey.com (T.F. Torrey) writes:

> Hello,
>
> Bastien <bzg@altern.org> writes:
>
>> Hi Andreas,
>>
>> Andreas Röhler <andreas.roehler@easy-emacs.de> writes:
>>
>>> Hmm, AFAIS trouble might occur only if someone tries to load a
>>> non-default --i.e. not-starred-- org-file while the default is
>>> active.
>>
>> ... or if someone shares a file online using non-star character
>> as the prefix for headlines: this file won't be processed by
>> Org tools like org-ruby and the like.
>>
>>> But even then it's quite easy to write a guess, which might start if
>>> org-mode didn't encounter the stars where expected.
>>
>> Org files are not just for Emacs, that's were the problem lies...
>
> I don't understand this heavy-handed approach.
>
> Plain text is great because I can do whatever I want.  What I come up
> with might not work correctly in other tools (or anything at all), but I
> have the freedom to do interesting things, and to have my files look
> just the way I want them to.
>
> Emacs is great because it allows me the freedom of near-infinite
> customization.  It has sensible defaults, but it allows me to break
> things however I want.
>
> Org, on the other hand, seems to be moving away from that in many ways.
> Headlines must start with stars because I might someday post something
> on the web and it wouldn't work for someone else?  Other tools might not
> recognize my file correctly?  A developer of some other tool might
> someday have a problem?  These are not good reasons for limiting what I
> can do with my own Org files.
>
> I don't need or want supervision in how I create my files.  I want
> freedom.  If I wanted supervision, I wouldn't be using Emacs.  Have you
> seen the lisp posted to the web?  Somehow, Emacs and I survive that.
>
> Org started as a great tool that let me do cool things with my text
> files.  I don't want to see it change to a rigid format for me to force
> my files into, where my only options are conform or leave.
>

I disagree.

Org is a plain text format. Like any format, plain-text or not, it needs
a proper definition. At least, it helps users and developers to agree on
what they are talking about. As for myself, I cannot play any game if
I don't know its rules.

My point of view is the following: Org (as a format) definition
shouldn't depend on Emacs. It should be totally parseable by any
language (which is not the case actually, since syntax relies on
variables defined in Emacs). IOW, we should work to make it a real
plain-text markup format.

> Org should err on the side of user freedom.

You still have the freedom to choose what you write down in Org format.
You have the freedom use, or to not use Org. You have the freedom to
modify Org code to bend it to your will. IMO, freedom is totally
unrelated to this subject.


Regards,

-- 
Nicolas Goaziou