Hello everyone, I'm Jacob Boxerman.
I'm a sophomore at Columbia University
studying computer science.
I'm so excited to be here today
right at the end of EmacsConf 2023.
So glad to be able to share with everyone today.
EmacsConf is really the epitome for me
of sharing and of learning about Emacs.
And in my closing keynote
titled "Sharing Emacs is Caring Emacs,"
I want to drive that home,
and I want to make every day
a day for learning and for sharing in our community.
I'd like to share my own journey
of sharing the joy of Emacs
and convince you that sharing the ways we share
and how we participate in our Emacs community,
those are the most important things
to both grow our community
and to increase our own personal joy in Emacs.
My journey of sharing begins with my journey of learning.
So I'll start by spending a bit of time on that.
I use Emacs every day for personal organization
and to-dos -- you know, schoolwork, projects,
exams, readings. I use Org Mode for that,
write essays, make presentations like this one.
I also write in various programming languages
including Java, C, Python,
locally and also remotely for projects, classes,
other responsibilities.
I really started with Emacs during the pandemic.
I had tried Emacs before, but at the time
all I knew it for was `M-x tetris`.
But then its power and its configurability even then
especially spoke to me.
So from those little humble beginnings,
trying different preconfigured distros,
I slowly made my way to building
my own 2000+ line configuration,
which actually surprisingly has about 70 stars,
a few watchers, a few forks on GitHub.
Pretty straightforward.
But what exactly was that learning process like?
Now, Emacs was such a beast to me at first.
I was familiar with Python,
with C, Java, languages like that.
I was no stranger to the shell configuration,
anything like that.
But the absolute infinity of possibility with Emacs
was a bit overwhelming.
I find a sentiment in the community
that exploring on one's own
was greater than exploring and learning from others.
And now I see why people say that and it's true in a sense,
but it might not be fully understood.
At a certain point, we need to all create our own paths.
And I think that's just one of the ways Emacs is built.
The minute possibilities of configurability are so vast,
it's like a fingerprint or a snowflake --
there are so many options to create
a totally unique Emacs experience.
Of course that can't be found from somebody else --
It has to come from you.
Still, building a strong foundation
is much, much better when we have others.
Expanding on that foundation is, too, actually.
My own process started
with a lot of Googling, blog posts, YouTube, and Reddit.
I actually found Emacs on YouTube.
Seeing how other people used it
was what really convinced me to try it for myself.
At a certain point when my confidence grew,
my trial and error became less error and more success.
I was also able to take what I saw other people do,
learn from it, and expand, making it my own.
And through that time, I learned Emacs.
But I also participated in Emacs learning.
What's the difference?
We often discuss the former,
grappling with key binds, commands.
But Emacs learning goes beyond these technicalities.
It's a mindset. It thrives on collaboration.
It's not a solo endeavor;
it flourishes best when we do it together.
This involves collaborating together,
creating a collaborative mindset,
sharing effective strategies,
lifting each other
through our collective pool of knowledge.
Together, we contribute to the growth of each member
within our vibrant community.
Emacs learning is much, much harder to do alone.
And I wanted to help with that.
So this brings me to the second part of my talk,
my Emacs journey, how I got started
and where I am today with my YouTube channel,
my Straightforward Emacs series with nearly 200,000 views.
The Emacs Manual is often pushed
as the best way to learn Emacs.
It's an all-encompassing tome.
And as amazing as I think it is,
I don't think it's reasonable
to push the Emacs manual so hard,
which is something I felt at first.
It can be really daunting. It's dense.
There's a lot there.
It's just a bit too much for a beginner,
or even someone with a little bit of experience.
These qualities, I feel,
apply to many of the Emacs resources we can find out there.
The best word for them is heavy.
They look, they feel, they come across as heavy
regardless of what they may actually be.
It's not even that people are too lazy,
or not capable enough (because that's never true).
It's just a mental block that takes some getting over,
and that's okay -- so we need other things, too.
For me, that was video.
I wanted someone to tell and show me
what I wanted to know,
as well as things I didn't even know were possible.
I realized this once I'd progressed a little further
in my Emacs journey. I wanted to do my part.
I care about Emacs. I started to really care about Emacs.
So I wanted to share about Emacs.
So at that point, I refocused my work with Emacs
beyond just myself. I wanted to help others
feel the excitement that I did.
So where did I turn, and why?
It's so trite, but they say that
a picture is worth a thousand words.
So how much is a video worth?
Everyone learns differently, and that's okay.
But it's absolutely certain to me
that you need to see something to believe it.
So for that, I turned to video.
And it turns out that seeing is believing.
I made a short video showing off Emacs Org Mode.
I didn't even have a voiceover.
That video, less than five minutes long,
but still incorporating some of my core principles,
now has over 55,000 views and counting.
So, something must have been right.
And the positive reception to that video
made me want to continue.
I decided to continue with the videos
in a series I titled "Straightforward Emacs."
And I'm asked: who is the target audience
for Straightforward Emacs? It's me.
They're the videos I wish I had existed
when I was figuring out
Emacs' numerous and wonderful features.
Video does, I admit, come with its own set of challenges.
Complaints that video is less accessible, it's valid.
They're more time consuming, it's valid too.
It's harder to skim a video than a blog post,
and referring back can be a little annoying.
To try and solve this,
I make video notes available as best I can though.
It's not perfect. Despite these valid claims,
I believe video offers a sense of personality
that written content just can't.
And that makes it well worth it.
My first two videos in the series
received a combined 35,000 views.
I still get kind comments today
from viewers thanking me, asking questions.
So I must have done something right,
to outweigh those cons of video,
to outweigh those common complaints.
What was it? I covered topics that had been done before.
But I wanted to present them in my way.
In the way that I knew people would appreciate,
because it's what I would have appreciated
when I started my Emacs journey.
In writing, I navigated towards clarity.
Crystal clear, step-by-step instructions.
Fully scripted, recorded in multiple parts and
spliced together. That allowed me
to achieve my second goal: no wasted time, or word,
or thought. I meticulously cut my videos
to create smooth dialogue.
I cut out large blocks of typing if not explained.
Though this does vary video to video.
Less scripted, more personal video receives less editing.
Like this talk itself, it's not edited at all.
And though prerecorded, I wanted to present
my unfiltered, raw self.
Another goal of mine is high quality and accessible content.
I speak carefully and I tune my volume,
making it easier to listen to,
and improving YouTube's auto-captioning.
Something I didn't consider at first,
but was mentioned to me in a comment, was color scheme.
Now I try to select a scheme
with good contrast and a readable font.
Content-wise, I design my tutorials
to ensure they cater to various skill levels,
as well as learning preferences.
My videos assume basic Emacs knowledge
but not too much more.
Importantly, they're configuration agnostic.
However you feel about Emacs' 'distributions',
Doom, Spacemacs, etc, they're out there,
and beginners often don't distinguish.
I admit it can be a bit frustrating to see a Reddit post
asking a question about unexpected behavior,
without mention of the fact that they have
literally thousands of lines of non-standard configuration
in the form of an Emacs distribution.
So I do my best to mention different possible keybindings
a viewer might be using.
There was one thing, though, that turned out to be
the most crucial part of my videos and series.
And it's one of the reasons itself for this talk.
You may have already picked up on it.
It's the personal aspect. Sharing myself.
Incorporating relatable examples,
scenarios that resonate with my audience.
Seeing personal use cases, examples,
and demonstrations of real life Emacs use
is really what began to build a community.
Because that's the stuff that can jump out of the video
and into the comments.
The idea for this talk started
as a story of my YouTube journey.
I wanted to share how I began sharing Emacs
and why I like it. And I think I've done that.
Thanks to the EmacsConf organizers, though,
I started to see a larger vision.
Each video I made took a lot of effort,
from research and planning to script writing,
filming and editing. But those comments made it worth it --
people saying that straightforward Emacs
was just what they were looking for,
and that they appreciated my sharing.
That's what made me want to continue.
And what made me want to continue even more
was the community I was building.
I'd start to see repeat viewers
who'd come back for my latest upload.
It's hard for me to find time to produce videos.
But whether it was two weeks or four months later
when I finally got around to uploading,
those same commenters would be there for me.
And I found real joy in actively engaging with my audience.
It was amazing to see how my videos --
me sharing useful Emacs tips,
sharing the way I do things -- sparked broader discussions.
On any chat form out there, there's no doubt
you'll find some sort of cross discourse.
I'd see viewers replying to other commenters,
and my videos were no exception. Seeing how
my videos sparked conversation,
debate and further interest was incredible.
We've had two amazing days of sharing Emacs,
putting ourselves out there, and sharing in a community.
I want to emphasize how amazing
a strong community with the right values is,
and to inspire each and every one of us
to do our part to strengthen that community.
The point of my talk isn't to tell you
to pick up your microphone and produce a YouTube video,
though that wouldn't hurt.
We're not all interested in that, and that's okay.
First, I want everybody to pat themselves on the back
for the mere fact that we are here together.
Then let's turn to the potential within our community.
First, though, I'll briefly note
that everyone has their opinions about platforms,
and I'm not here to make judgments,
but freedom, equity, and accessibility are important,
but reach is, too.
Regardless of the platform,
one thing remains certain:
our strength lies in unity.
Like any online community, this calls for unique ways
to come together and share. How can we achieve this unity?
The key is finding avenues
where our collective knowledge and our support can flourish,
while each person can find a place for themselves,
creating a more connected and empowered Emacs community.
From uplifting others with positive contributions
to engaging on platforms like Reddit,
both idealistic and concrete approaches are really valuable.
We can continue lively debate
on community forums and discussion boards,
encouraging a positive and inclusive atmosphere
for asking questions and seeking help.
We can leverage social media platforms to share quick tips,
tricks, or interesting discoveries related to Emacs.
Those who enjoy writing
can contribute to blogs and newsletters,
sharing personal expertise and experiences
with a larger audience.
Let's also not underestimate the value of online video,
as I've said, and learning platforms too.
Creating and sharing tutorials
on platforms like YouTube or educational websites
addresses specific aspects of Emacs and benefits learners,
while contributing a personal touch.
Participating in or organizing Emacs-related courses
also fosters a structured learning
environment where there's so much room
for mentorship and support,
which is valuable for everyone involved.
We can also call on our open source [* free software] values
and focus on collaborative projects,
from coding projects where we can contribute and learn
to building shared documentation and guides
that compile collective knowledge on specific topics --
the Emacs Wiki is a great place
to start and continue that work as well.
Especially for those who might be less willing
to put themselves out there,
it's essential to recognize that every contribution,
regardless of its scale, adds value to our community.
Documentation contributions, however small,
can go a long way. So do translations,
for those who are able to increase accessibility,
as well as testing and bug reporting.
Reporting issues to package maintainers
in their desired format -- speaking as one myself,
I appreciate when users give helpful feedback.
There are options for everybody, big and small.
Remember, the strength of our community
lies in its ability to share, collaborate,
and learn together. Whether through collaborative projects,
sharing insights on forums, or leveraging social media,
by embracing these ideas, we can build
a more connected and empowered Emacs community.
Now Emacs is so very personal.
Those of us who have our own
carefully manicured configurations understand --
Emacs molds to our liking and our person.
Our configurations and use-cases
are a reflection of our individuality.
Nonetheless, the richness of our community
lies in collaboration, sharing, and learning together.
There's a lot of talk in the community
about how to ensure Emacs' longevity.
I agree it's important.
We care because of passion, excitement,
and utility. We want to share
and we want to have others love what we love.
We also want a stronger community
that fosters new innovation.
I used to buy into complaints I'd read online
that Emacs' defaults are too unapproachable.
The default color scheme and the font is unappealing.
Fix that and people will flock.
Sounds fair, I'd think.
Turns out, it's not what we need.
Emacs is bigger than that.
What we need is like what we've done here this weekend.
Like EmacsConf. It's the absolute epitome
of sharing about and caring about Emacs.
We are here both working to grow our community,
and to strengthen what we already have.
We're here because we find joy in Emacs,
and that joy is amplified by sharing it
with and among others.
So let's continue this journey together,
navigating Emacs with a spirit of collaboration,
because in unity, we find not just strength
but the enduring legacy of a tool that we hold very dear.
Thank you to everybody here
for being part of this shared adventure.
Let's go forth and share, together.