---
title: The Editor of a Lifetime
teaser: From the New York Emacs Meetup, Perry Metzger explains why he has dedicated
  over 30 years to Emacs.
tags: emacs,new york city
author: Thom Obarski
published_on: 2017-03-03
---

From the [New York Emacs Meetup](https://www.meetup.com/New-York-Emacs-Meetup/):
[Perry Metzger](https://github.com/pmetzger) has been using Emacs as his text
editor since early September, 1983. Over much of that time, it has also been his
primary way to read email, compile programs, and perform a variety of other
tasks.

Why would anyone use a single program for that long? This talk is partially
intended to answer that question.

<iframe title="The Editor of a Lifetime - YouTube" width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/VADudzQGvU8"
frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Perry explains:

> Emacs remains one of the most important user interfaces (and text editors) for
> computer professionals almost 40 years after it was created. The talk is
> intended to be part history, part philosophy, and part speculation on the
> future. It will also teach Emacs fans how to explain to their skeptical
> friends why it is still a good idea to learn a tool from the terminal era that
> requires memorization of dozens of control sequences in an age of GUIs and
> smart phones.

Check out more meetup presentations, editor tips/shortcuts, lightning talks,
AMA's, behind the scenes bloopers, and more by subscribing to the [thoughtbot
YouTube Page](https://www.youtube.com/user/ThoughtbotVideo)!