> And I think terminal support is one of the things that holds Emacs back. Think about it - why do you even need a terminal if you’re already using Emacs?
Because I'm doing non-trivial (but probably not extensive) work on a server that does not have windowing.
Tramp is a hassle for some use cases, especially if you use SSH FIDO to authenticate; either you need set up the session somewhere and use SSH channel multiplexing from a session you established previously, and some protected environments limit the number of channels per SSH connection (often, to one).
Handling a text terminal emulator is a lower common denominator for sure than elisp to fulfill those functions.
I'd also like to point out that emacs has been praised by those with issues with their eyesight for its textual interface working with screen readers far better in practice. Other applications inevitably break their accessibility far more often, because their programming model makes it more expensive to do and keep in good order.
I don't mean to suggest this is how "text editors oughta be," but it's good at least one editor is this way, in regard to its relationship to UI elements and text.
> > And I think terminal support is one of the things that holds Emacs back. Think about it - why do you even need a terminal if you’re already using Emacs?
> Because I'm doing non-trivial (but probably not extensive) work on a server that does not have windowing.
Indeed, of the ~7 machines I work on regularly, 5 of them are via ssh and need no GUI. `emacs -nw` is so much quicker and efficient than having to deal with an X server (or equivalent). And the GUI provides me with really no benefit.
Because I'm doing non-trivial (but probably not extensive) work on a server that does not have windowing.
Tramp is a hassle for some use cases, especially if you use SSH FIDO to authenticate; either you need set up the session somewhere and use SSH channel multiplexing from a session you established previously, and some protected environments limit the number of channels per SSH connection (often, to one).
Handling a text terminal emulator is a lower common denominator for sure than elisp to fulfill those functions.
I'd also like to point out that emacs has been praised by those with issues with their eyesight for its textual interface working with screen readers far better in practice. Other applications inevitably break their accessibility far more often, because their programming model makes it more expensive to do and keep in good order.
I don't mean to suggest this is how "text editors oughta be," but it's good at least one editor is this way, in regard to its relationship to UI elements and text.