Comment by neeasade | Hacker News Reader

Comment by neeasade | Hacker News Reader

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> I can't see how this is functionally significantly different than EasyMotion[1] or Sneak[2].

from the readme:

> it maps possible futures, and shows you which key(s) you will need to press before you actually need to do that.

In the preview gif it's showing the matched hintkeys LIVE as you search.

I think this is actually a huge different in UX. I'm using the emacs equivalent in avy, avy-goto-char-timer[1], and that small pause between searching and acting (typing the hints) makes the experience jarring enough that I don't want end up using goto-char-timer in motions that much (only for jumping across windows and panes)

With no delay between <leap key> and <hint key>, the UX of d<leap key><hint key> is much smoother

[1] https://github.com/abo-abo/avy#avy-goto-char-timer

If you type two keys and have to "select a label" as the README says, then you have to parse the screen to see what actually happened so you can decide what to do next. That seems to be what the parent commenter is saying slows one down.

This doesn't seem significantly different from, say, /<c1><c2><CR> and then hitting n to go to the next match until you've found what you want. It's only one more character than this project is claiming to require (the extra <CR>). With hlsearch enabled it also shows you matches as you type.

My understanding is that the "parsing the screen" step is slightly pipelined with the "typing the keys" step, as the labels you have to read/pick between show up after you've typed the first character of the pair — so in the ~300ms it takes you to type the second character, you've already become aware of the labels, and are well on your way to parsing them.

You don't scan the screen looking for labels. You are looking directly where you want to be and a label should appear over the place you want to go. That is the label you type to jump, you will never even notice the others or scan them.

I'm jumping around on the screen using <leap key> <where to go key> -> <hint keys> https://github.com/abo-abo/avy#avy-goto-char

This UX does not break my flow (it doesn't require focus/conscious thought):

  1. Press <leap key> + <where to go key> while looking at the place I want to jump to
  2. Hints are shown instantaneously (while I'm still looking at the place). Press <hint keys>. I'm there.

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