Re: Org expert mode?

[Robert Pluim <rpluim@gmail.com>]

Bastien <bzg@altern.org> writes:

> Hi all,
>
> Org tries to stay as simple/accessible as possible for newbie and as
> complete/flexible as possible for power users.
>
> The documentation and the UI are central for this: the documentation
> should promote core features, document complex ones, and give pointers
> on how to hack Org -- it does that already IMO; the UI should give
> access to core features and give hints on complex ones, so that the
> user can learn more.
>
> I've just added the ability to run a custom function for bulk agenda
> actions (thanks to Puneeth for the patch!)  This is clearly for power
> users -- or those who are willing to take the time to find functions
> that we might document in Worg.
>
> 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.
>
> This is really just a call for ideas/comments -- I wonder if people
> already came accross such an idea and and what they think.
>
> I'm myself not convinced: it's a good thing that Org doesn't need an
> Expert mode so far, it means newbies are not confused by the UI, and
> experts are not frustrated by it either.  But I expect neat features 
> can emerge from the discussion.

I've been using org for about a year, and am by no means an 'expert',
but it does what I want the way I want it (and I learn more every day).
It is in many ways exactly like the surrounding Emacs environment: very
powerful, but simple to get started in.  I personally see no reason at
all to hide any of that power, since as far as I'm concerned it simply
doesn't get in the way, and implementing such hiding would be a waste of
effort.

Regards

Robert