Emacs Text Editor

Discussions center on the Emacs text editor, including debates about its relevance, extensibility, comparisons to modern tools like VSCode, historical context, and humorous stereotypes of its users.

📉 Falling 0.4x Open Source
4,827
Comments
20
Years Active
5
Top Authors
#5189
Topic ID

Activity Over Time

2007
4
2008
50
2009
77
2010
124
2011
180
2012
124
2013
182
2014
250
2015
181
2016
333
2017
242
2018
233
2019
273
2020
463
2021
486
2022
467
2023
483
2024
291
2025
371
2026
13

Keywords

RAM e.g DOS FWIW ycombinator.com LightTable UI GNU lists.gnu emacs gnu text elisp editor text editor vscode doom ago years ago

Sample Comments

subjectsigma Apr 7, 2023 View on HN

“I didn’t like Emacs personally so anyone using it is holding back progress”

chipschap Jan 19, 2021 View on HN

If you have to ask "why emacs" this is probably not for you!

Skunkleton Apr 22, 2021 View on HN

I have been exposed as someone who doesn't use emacs :)

juandazapata Dec 27, 2017 View on HN

Because not everyone use emacs maybe?

holydude Aug 22, 2017 View on HN

You are underestimating emacs a lot (even if we talk about 30y ago)

globnomulous Apr 10, 2025 View on HN

The comment you answered is tongue in cheek, the joke being that emacs is for old people.

iamwil Apr 30, 2009 View on HN

Emacs is not just a text editor, but a way of life.

deadbeef404 Sep 30, 2013 View on HN

Some of us don't use emacs?

cbsmith May 27, 2014 View on HN

The article was written as though Emacs didn't exist.

DevOfNull Apr 12, 2023 View on HN

I don't use it personally, but from what I hear this is exactly the use case Emacs was made for.