Re: Text processor

[Robin Miller <roblimo home com>]

> vi is OK, but I like to work with a GUI. I have tried to use Emacs,
> but I must be thick or something, because I just don't "get" it.

Linux/Unix developers hate to admit that ~95% of all
computer users prefer GUIs to text commands. PC usage took
off when Mac/Windows screens became the norm, not before.
Linux will only become a popular desktop OS when it offers
Windows-level usablity (or better) to people who use their
computers as tools to accomplish non-computing tasks. 

Consider: the GIMP is a marvelously flexible image
manipulation program. But for music composers, Lily Pond,
which does nothing but write music, is a far better
"working" tool. Sure, you can create better-shaped notes and
beautifully embellished scores with the GIMP if you can
afford to take the time to do so, but when you're trying to
get 12 instrumental parts, plus a conductor's score,
finished before your first scheduled rehearsal, you don't
have time to screw around. You need to sit down and plug out
the damn quarter-notes!

Emacs is to text/html writing as the GIMP is to music
notation: a wonderfully flexible tool that is not practical
for day-to-day use.

Gnome is a great step toward Linux usability for
non-programmers. I'm just geeky enough to be able to find
apps that are close to what I need and bend them to my will,
but most journalists aren't former US Army) Military
Intelligence sigint techs who started using DARPAnet in
1972. They're liberal arts people who can't even diagnose
their cars' fuel injection systems. You can't expect them to
learn emacs as long as there are programs available that are
better-suited to their jobs -- and take no time to figure
out.

The greatest piece of Unix and Linux (and more specifically
Gnome) advocacy imaginable would be a text/HTML editor you
could plunk a reporter down in front of and get the
words,"Wow! This is great!" in return.

The WWW runs primarily on GNU software, a growing percentage
of which is running on Linux. It is sad that the content on
it cannot be created in Linux with GNU software -- or at
least with commercial software running on Linux, preferably
in Gnome.

- Robin Miller