Post 9xMKHfRbyx9GHbSitk by starbreaker@mastodon.art
 (DIR) More posts by starbreaker@mastodon.art
 (DIR) Post #9xMKHfFYhlVVgDp66y by vidak@cute.science
       2020-07-22T23:05:24.624906Z
       
       0 likes, 0 repeats
       
       There has been a lot of talk online about how 'bloated' EMACS can be. I do not deny that EMACS uses a lot of memory, or other computer resources, but I do think the observation that EMACS is a little more resource hungry than other development environments is misplaced.I think it stems from a misunderstanding about what the purpose of EMACS is, and, perhaps, how it works. EMACS is virtually a whole new operating environment. Virtually all of the most important C code that forms the program is for setting up the LISP interpreter in it, so that it can be as extensible as it is.Given I use it for email, IRC, smolnet (gemini), SBCL, and USENET, I think it makes _good_ use of system resources, even if it doesn't make the smallest use of resources.The fact I can run EMACS productively and reasonably quickly on a Nintendo Wii means that it is reasonably efficient.Like I said in my manifesto for a LISP operating system, speed and efficiency should only apply to qualitative and cultural aspects of a computer system. It is the ultimate use and phenomenal satisfaction that matters most about EMACS, not how 'lean' or 'light' or 'thin' some system is.I hope this goes some way toward a defence of EMACS, and its design philosophy (:
       
 (DIR) Post #9xMKHfRbyx9GHbSitk by starbreaker@mastodon.art
       2020-07-22T23:17:18Z
       
       0 likes, 1 repeats
       
       @vidak #emacs  might be big compared to #vi, but it's pretty dainty compared to #Electron based editors like Atom and VS Code.