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Is GNU Emacs still worth it? (lemmy.opensupply.space)
submitted 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) by nyl@lemmy.opensupply.space to c/emacs@lemmy.ml
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Seems like with all AI-enabling and just works out of the box experiences with VSCode and alike, makes GNU Emacs absolete. I'm aware of AI packages for GNU Emacs, but don't think is worth the investiement so much; I would mostly save it for org mode, TUI, and some other few packages. But for programming, it doesn't seem lile worth the investment, and use VSCode instead.

Certainly knowing things will always be valuable - but the effect of assistants and LLMs may be to change what it is valuable to know by devaluing a great heap of current generation’s programmers’s stock and trade.

As an addenda: by value in the above I mean “instrumental value” or more specifically, valuable to the rich who want to exploit the skills of others to become yet richer. There is always intrinsic value to knowing for the people who love to know.

fomosapien@emacs.ch, https://emacs.ch/users/fomosapien/statuses/111264462444461233

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[-] platypode@sh.itjust.works 4 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Is it the right tool for every job? Probably not any more, but it's still the right tool for many.

I have migrated to VSCode for most of my daily dev work because its language support is undeniably better (especially on a corp machine), but I always keep an emacs window open for a whole bunch of different stuff:

  • ephemeral todo lists
  • plaintext and markdown editing
  • quick-and-dirty Python or shell scripting
  • project planning and other org mode goodies
  • all the other weird little stuff that falls through the cracks of an editor but is super easy in emacs
[-] tux0r@feddit.de 5 points 1 year ago

I have migrated to VSCode for most of my daily dev work because its language support is undeniably better

GNU Emacs's auto-indentation is superb. Nothing comes even close.

[-] ParetoOptimalDev@lemmy.today 1 points 1 year ago

Can you give an example of a specific language where emacs auto indent is better besides lisp?

[-] tux0r@feddit.de 3 points 1 year ago

Go and Rust, from what I remember. I haven't touched VS Code in a while, but I seriously doubt that the current version can indent any language better than GNU Emacs does. I'm open for being proven wrong, of course.

[-] simonced@lemmy.one 3 points 1 year ago

That's also a very similar setup I have. Nothing can replace org-mode, so at least Emacs will have to stay for that. Also using it in server mode is nice to reopen a new window in an instance. I also have many tiny scripts I made through out the years to generate random things for work, and also query the radio station we listen to give my the artist and song title that is playing. Can't work without those ^^

[-] stsquad@lemmy.ml 2 points 1 year ago

But LSPs have done an excellent job of separating language specific tooling from editors - and Emacs can use them as well.

[-] nyl@lemmy.opensupply.space 2 points 1 year ago

I also think this is the way. Glad to know I am not alone. Thank you!

PS: I have a pretty nice and modularized GNU Emacs config, but it's to me just as Lex we are missing a ton by constraining only on GNU Emacs.

this post was submitted on 18 Oct 2023
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