Hello guys !
I thought of trying Emacs.But there are 3 versions of Emacs available to download in Ubuntu App store.They are Emacs version 23, Emacs version 24 and Emacs version 24/lucid.But the thing to consider is that Version 23 being an old version has more ratings.So,Guys please tell me which one to choose.And what is the difference between version 24 and version 24/lucid ?
Thanks in advance .....

None. Everyone knows only heretics use Emacs vs Vim

All joking aside, I don't think you'd run into any major differences between versions 23 and 24--especially as you're just starting with emacs. I imagine you're seeing more overall reviews on the slightly-older version as it's simply been around a bit longer and has a larger install base.

I believe the lucid variant has an older-style appearance (that might be the fork that became XEMacs, but that's probably too much info right now).

The biggest other option for installing emacs would be the "emacs-nox" package; this is the version that you would use only within text-mode terminals as it has no X/GUI support. This might be important to you if you plan to familiarize yourself to using emacs remotely in SSH terminals, that sort of thing... otherwise, it's probably easier to learn using the other packages that support the GUI as you're learning the menus and keyboard shortcuts.

For what it's worth, I think it's a great idea for you to be looking at emacs. There's a quite dichotomous rift between emacs and vi users in the *nix world, which I rather find to be a shame. Part of the whole open source movement is not being locked-in to a specific tool or program, and instead having the freedom to chose what works best for you from a number of options.

Hope you have fun checking out emacs. Don't forget to look into vi/vim, too

Thanks for your answer !
I did not know vi is as powerful tool as emacs.Honestly I really don't know what they really are other than editors.But vi is preinstalled in my ubuntu pc.So I didn't take it seriously.A few days ago,I saw the movie The social network.In that movie the guy playing Mark Zuckerburg did some fancy Hacking stuff with his Emacs skills.That is why Emacs took my attention.

Hello MensaWater !
Thanks for answering.But what does it mean.

Both can be used as simple text editors, and both can be very powerful if you know how to use them to their potential. I use both for different tasks, all depends on what I'm doing.

Both tools are very powerful but they are completely different beasts. For the most part, Vim has a narrower range of use while Emacs is sometimes jokingly called an operating system as it's got an extension for everything and if it does not exist yet you can write it in Emacs Lisp.

As many users here, I use both. Vim for quick edits, Emacs for longer sessions.

While learning emacs, make sure you try out org-mode (it's a mode for writing notes, todo lists, etc.).

Why vi is used more than emacs - because it comes as standard on every type of unix, (be that Linux, BSD, Solaris, etc).
That means that no matter what variety you find yourself on, it will have a version of vi on it.
Personal preference is what you want, try them for yourself, emacs is probably easier for a novice, but I prefer vi.

It's a joke. UNIX/Linux geeks have been arguing for years as to whether one should use vi/vim or emacs. Most of the arguments one way or the other although factual in and of themselves still deal with the personal preferences of the poster. That is to say both are very powerful tools so use of one over the other really does boil down to individual predilection rather than any true technical superiority of one over the other. Despite that it is easy to start long arguments over which is "best" that typically result ultimately in implications of moral, ethical and/or mental issues in those that don't believe as you do.

Hence the shortcut: Only heretics use emacs.
That would indicate I prefer vi/vim.

They say it ain't funny if you have to explain it.

As you note yourself emacs and vi at their heart are editors but given all that is built into them one can do some pretty amazing things but there is nothing intrinsic in either that would make you better able to hack a system over any of dozens of other attack vectors. Hacking is more about your abilities than the tools you use.

P.S. The true apostates use nano rather than emacs or vi

The only thing that sucks worse than nano is people who use nano!

Hey! I resemble that remark!
I will not even attempt to suggest that Nano even approaches Vi or EMACS but it does a job which, surely, is in line wit the Unix philosophy?

I recommend ed -- it's the standard text editor...

http://www.gnu.org/fun/jokes/ed-msg.html

2 members found this post helpful.

So, they are all the same as Microsoft Notepad?

NO! They're nowhere near as good. Don't use trash like Vi and EMACS -- they're "free software" and, so, are useless and pointless. Use only Microsoft approved software.

Finally somebody talks sense