From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 From: Matt Lundin Subject: Re: org-mode tutorial questionaire Date: Tue, 23 Mar 2010 19:46:19 -0400 Message-ID: <87wrx2r48k.fsf@fastmail.fm> References: <87bpeesu45.fsf@fastmail.fm> <99A2E2E8-6334-4148-9E65-CDCE2B99EF3F@gmail.com> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Return-path: Received: from mailman by lists.gnu.org with tmda-scanned (Exim 4.43) id 1NuDnB-0005EA-Jp for emacs-orgmode@gnu.org; Tue, 23 Mar 2010 19:45:49 -0400 Received: from [140.186.70.92] (port=60132 helo=eggs.gnu.org) by lists.gnu.org with esmtp (Exim 4.43) id 1NuDn9-0005Dz-63 for emacs-orgmode@gnu.org; Tue, 23 Mar 2010 19:45:48 -0400 Received: from Debian-exim by eggs.gnu.org with spam-scanned (Exim 4.69) (envelope-from ) id 1NuDn7-0005J2-6B for emacs-orgmode@gnu.org; Tue, 23 Mar 2010 19:45:47 -0400 Received: from out2.smtp.messagingengine.com ([66.111.4.26]:51732) by eggs.gnu.org with esmtp (Exim 4.69) (envelope-from ) id 1NuDn7-0005Ix-35 for emacs-orgmode@gnu.org; Tue, 23 Mar 2010 19:45:45 -0400 In-Reply-To: <99A2E2E8-6334-4148-9E65-CDCE2B99EF3F@gmail.com> (Alexander Poslavsky's message of "Tue, 23 Mar 2010 21:04:43 +0100") List-Id: "General discussions about Org-mode." List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , Sender: emacs-orgmode-bounces+geo-emacs-orgmode=m.gmane.org@gnu.org Errors-To: emacs-orgmode-bounces+geo-emacs-orgmode=m.gmane.org@gnu.org To: Alexander Poslavsky Cc: emacs-orgmode Alexander Poslavsky writes: > On Mar 23, 2010, at 8:42 PM, Matt Lundin wrote: > >> Hi Alex, >>=20 >> Alexander Poslavsky writes: >>=20 >>> There is a new tutorial on worg: http://orgmode.org/worg/org-tutorials/ >>> org4beginners.php. The idea is to write a tutorial for somebody who is >>> new to org-mode. >> ... >>> For everybody: >>> -What kind of tutorial would be the most useful?=20 >>> -What in your experience people find confusing? >>=20 >> Thanks for taking the time to put this on Worg. I wish I had had such a >> concise summary of the various flavors of emacs on different platforms >> when I started exploring org-mode. >>=20 >> I was wondering if you could elaborate on the following. Are you >> suggesting that new users should never use M-x customize? > Well, I don't know about anybody else, but I *never* use it. I think > it is awful. But then, what do I know=E2=80=A6. I don't use it much now, either. But when I was learning emacs, it eased me gently into the wild and woolly world of lists, symbols, cons cells, and the like. In addition, M-x customize-group [RET] org is a nice way to browse org-mode's wealth of options and internal documentation. And Carsten has put a tremendous amount of work into coding all those exemplary defcustoms in the org*.el files. :) >>=20 >> 3. Why C-x b 2.org --> M-x org-mode --> C-x C-s as the recommended >> workflow? Once the configuration file is set up, C-x C-f 2.org will >> bring one right into org-mode. > As far as I can see, that is actually what the doc says: > > Save the file (*C-x s*) as 2.org, and you will notice that the > colors change, syntax highlighting is turned on, and Emacs > understands you are working in org-mode. > > but if it is not clear, let me know what paragraph you are refering > to. Sorry if my question was unclear. I'm simply wondering whether we should recommend a multi-step process to new users (i.e., C-x b to create a new buffer and then C-x C-s to activate org-mode) when C-x C-f (find-file) both creates a new buffer and activates org-mode immediately. Of course, all this is a matter of taste (as is almost everything in emacs)! But I suspect a new user might find it a bit crufty if org-mode commands don't work *until* the buffer is first saved. Also, C-x b (switch-to-buffer) followed by C-x s typically requires you to provide two names (first the buffer and then the file), whereas C-x C-f does everything at once. Thanks again for all the work you put into this. Best, Matt