2010-01-29
This page documents the main features of ErgoEmacs.
ErgoEmacs is a emacs distribution based on GNU Emacs, so it has ALL the features of emacs.
For a introduction of what emacs can do, see:
ErgoEmacs improves GNU Emacs for people who did not grow up with emacs. User interface is based on common modern software interface familiar to most people today, such as using “Ctrl+C” key for Copy, “Ctrl+Z” for undo, “Ctrl+O” for Open file, and also bundles many elisp packages that are not in GNU Emacs.
Here is a list of major differences and additions.
Common keyboard shortcut are supported, so you don't have to change your mindset when you switch in and out of emacs. The following are supported standard keys in Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux. (Mac uses Cmd instead of Ctrl.)
| Standard name | Key press | Emacs command name |
|---|---|---|
| Copy | Ctrl+c | kill-ring-save |
| Cut | Ctrl+x | kill-region |
| Paste | Ctrl+v | yank |
| Undo | Ctrl+z | undo |
| Redo | Ctrl+Shift+z | redo |
| Standard name | Key press | Emacs command name |
|---|---|---|
| Open New File | Ctrl+n | new-empty-buffer |
| Open | Ctrl+o | find-file |
| Close | Ctrl+w | close-current-buffer |
| Save | Ctrl+s | save-buffer |
| Save As | Ctrl+Shift+s | write-file |
| Ctrl+p | print-buffer | |
| Select All | Ctrl+a | mark-whole-buffer |
| Find | Ctrl+f | search-forward |
In addition to standard keyboard shortcuts, ErgoEmacs's shortcut set is based on Ergonomics. That is, most frequently used commands are given easy keys. This makes it easier and faster for editing text, and avoid Repetitive strain injury.
ErgoEmacs Shortcut Keys
Standard shortcuts for cursor navigation, such as “Ctrl+←” to go to previous word, Home key for beginning of line, “Shift+Arrow” to select, are also there. Dvorak keyboard is also supported.
For detail, see: ErgoEmacs Keybinding.
The graphical menu is simplied. Menu items that are rarely used or confusing are removed. Useful commands now has a menu representation. For example, you can choose a Language Mode in the menu “File‣Language Modes” for a glance of supported language modes.
Over 10 additional language modes. Here's a list of additional support for language files:
All these are listed in the menu “File‣Language Modes”, so you can easily activate them without needing to know the command names. Of course, file names with proper extension will automatically open in the right mode.
ErgoEmacs actively support the Windows platform. For Windows users, you don't need to spend hours to look for packages or make things work that works in Emacs on Linux. Here's a list of additions that EgoEmacs support on Windows, out of the box:
Many extra little additions and settings over the rough edges of GNU Emacs. They include:
For detail on many more misc improvements, see: Emacs Modernization.
ErgoEmacs's look and feel is like GNU Emacs. Works well in terminal emulators such as PuTTY, xterm, Terminal App. Emacs's power as a system that interfaces OS's shell, and “dired” as a file management system, as a ftp client, as a irc client, are all integral part of ErgoEmacs. There is no extra additions that makes you use the mouse.
If you use Windows's Notepad, you can use ErgoEmacs out of the box, without needing to learn any new keyboard shortcuts. If you have experience with emacs, you may find many added advantages that saves you time, especially on Windows.
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