Re: Org expert mode?

[John Hendy <jw.hendy@gmail.com>]

On Thu, Mar 10, 2011 at 6:38 AM, Greg Troxel <gdt@ir.bbn.com> wrote:
>
> Bastien <bzg@altern.org> writes:
>
>> Bastien <bzg@altern.org> writes:
>>
>>> So I naturally thought of something like an "Org Expert mode": when
>>> turned off, the UI would *not* give access to complex features
>>
>> More precisely: the UI would not _display_ complex features, which will
>> still be available anyway (of course).
>
> I started using org only last summer, and found it a little daunting,
> but reading the intro manual was easier than I thought.  There are lots
> of complicated features, but I found it entirely easy to ignore
> exporting, clocking, and many others.
>

I completely agree. I was learning emacs concurrently (started on
emacs specifically for org) and just ignored everything that wasn't
essential. Just navigating files worked. For example, as much as I
wanted to learn all the shortcuts for forward/backward one
char/word/line/para/heading... the arrows worked and I actually got
stuff done.

> Looking back, the hardest thing for a new person to learn is the
> keybindings for scheduling, priorities, etc. in both the org mode view
> and agenda view.
>
> I don't see where having a mode to turn on and off would help any of
> this.  I can sort of see the point about the export help, but I type
> "C-e C-h h" so fast that it barely blinks by.  (Were I still on dialup I
> would be cranky.)

I'm prone to agree here as well, but maybe it's because I never really
used the UI. I just learned the keystrokes as I figured that was the
end goal anyway. I'd be open to hearing from other "noobs" or those
more recently acquainted whether *they* would find something like this
useful. If they are like Greg and I, perhaps learning/usage isn't very
hindered by having extras laying around since we just tend to ignore
them and use what we learn as we learn it.

If anything, having recently started using sunrise-commander, I'm
almost more inclined to suggest something like sunrise-x-buttons as
more helpful. Provide a cheatsheet for what *is* there rather than
hiding what we think new users won't use/care about.[1]

>
> Overall, I suggest enumerating what changes ought to be made for
> non-expert mode, and then seeing if the complexity of having a mode is
> really worth it, rather than inventing a mechanism and then looking for
> ways to apply it.
>

Yes -- a clear list would be fantastic.


[1] http://www.emacswiki.org/emacs/Sunrise_Commander#toc2

Best regards,
John