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Comment by sleiben | Hacker News Reader

I saw people (in their 30s) using emacs for almost everything. Coding, reading mails, organizing their todos and so on. It was impressive to see their workflow.

The only thing which hold me back to really learn it, were the stories about repetitive strain injuries: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=36718793

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This is (1) not a problem unique to eMacs and also (2) not originated from it.

(2 means eMacs specific, 1 means general. Sorry slightly confusing.)

Eg (1) macOS by default shares some eMacs key bindings.

(2) It is not originated from it because initially those keys aren't where they are now.

Solutions are

1. Remap the keys to solve (2) 2. Programmable keyboard (for every key bindings) to solve (1)

Nit: It's a proper noun "Emacs" unless you're maybe referring to the executable "emacs", but at any rate the eMac was a computer sold by Apple in the education sector, and eMacs is the plural of that. Your iOS device is likely autocorrecting to that spelling, because to Apple, what else could you possibly be referring to?

In 2018 I switched from Vim (used for 5 years) to Emacs and I have no complaints about RSI/CT. It may be because I also learned to properly type with Dvorak at the same time. Unlike most Vim switchers I don't use Evil because modal editing just doesn't work for me. I always find myself having to change mode to do something and half the time the mode change doesn't take and shenanigans occur.

I've always just used my palm for [`C`].

From OP of your link: http://xahlee.info/kbd/i2/palm_control_key_youngstabber_2013...

> The only thing which hold me back to really learn it, were the stories about repetitive strain injuries

Without wanting to be a troll, that's exactly what happened to me within 3 days after switching to emacs.. So I reluctantly terminated my emacs experiment early and switched back to vim..

You definitely needed to be on evil-mode or a framework (like Doom) based on it. The key bindings with ctl, alt, etc. are the least important part of Emacs but sadly, the part everyone thinks of first...

At the time I was thinking that if I had to change something as fundamental as the key bindings to get it to work, it was maybe not the right tool for me, as these base bindings were probably a key part of the whole Emacs philosophy that I would then completely miss-out on..

But if you say that they are the least import part of Emacs, I might revisit it when I have the time. Thank you for the tip.

Try Doom Emacs and configure it with evil mode (vim keybindings). Presto, problem solved!

Also worth swapping the control and caps lock keys (system wide if possible). Takes a while to relearn but much easier to reach with your pinky.

On macOS, you can remap command to control within emacs.

Control with the thumb was the original configuration when emacs was built.

The native bindings are...not great. Personally i use xah-fly-keys, but evil (vim) keybindings are popular.

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