I've been studying #Emacs for a while now. My conclusion, so far (keeping in mind that I've been using #Vim / #Neovim for over 10 years), is that a strong reason to switch from one to the other would be an affinity for wanting to study elisp/lisp, including modern lisp languages like #clojure
I say this because Emacs is pure elisp, and it is, in fact, an incredibly powerful language... absurdly so, actually.
To put it in context, #NeoVim
was created as an alternative to make Vim better by improving its usability and making it more extensible.
At most, what you'll find in terms of Emacs distributions are options like umacs (the version that Linus Torvalds uses, which is more streamlined) or something like #spacemacs (the opposite of Emacs/umacs, which comes with everything included), that is, a super Emacs package. ++
Currently, I work with Java and Python on the job... focusing on Go, but I have this desire to explore Lisp/Clojure because I became fascinated with some things I saw about the language.
So, trying out Emacs and getting a better feel for the tool made sense. So far, I can say that EVERYTHING I do in Emacs, I can replicate perfectly in NeoVim... except for the fact that learning the basics of elisp brings me closer to something more user-friendly than vim script.
@lobocode I never really got into Vim or Emacs despite a few attempts. I’ve written a lot of Clojure though, and I’ve found both VS Code and IntelliJ work well for that purpose, provided that the right plugins are installed. Being able to hack on the editor itself using lisp is cool, but I never felt like I needed to.
@anderseknert It really comes down to personal preference! For instance, I like switching between tabs easily without having to click around with the mouse (even assuming that vscode supports vim interfaces, for example). It's like having 100% control over an editor so that it works exactly your way, precisely your way. ++
@anderseknert You know how you compile a Linux/BSD kernel so that the software fits the hardware like a glove, and you gain a few seconds of performance because you're no longer using generic drivers? That's the mindset. You're using the editor in such a way that it becomes your editor, tailored to your style... like building your own house.
@lobocode yeah, I was really into customization when I was younger, and I still admire people who do that. I’m just too old I guess. Always forget keyboard shortcuts when I need them 😄 the “search command” feature in VS code is perfect for someone like me. And while I have a user config file for some settings, I don’t feel like I need to do more. But again, I totally admire those who are really proficient in vim or emacs.
@anderseknert I'm getting older, and I feel that with each passing day, I'm more drawn to learning about complex things that aren't necessarily the straightforward path to achieving a goal... It's like putting together an incredibly complicated Lego set even if there's no end goal in sight... (look at me, I've been using FreeBSD for about a year now). Why? For what purpose? ++
@lobocode I love complex things! Not sure I’d put editors in that category. While it was hard,I loved learning Clojure.. It’s the trivial things (like key bindings or whatever) that never seem to stick with me. And since I’m already proficient using other tools, it never felt that important.
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