Ask HN: Why does XEmacs still exist?

This explains why XEmacs came into existence, not what compelling reasons there are to use it over GNU Emacs in 2014, which was the original question.

Re: Ask HN: Why does XEmacs still exist?

#6

Post by muuh-gnu » Sun, Sep 21, 2014, 8:34 PM UTC

The same way you could ask why GNU Emacs still exists. Because there are people who for various tiny (rational or irrational) reasons dont want to switch the editor they've been using the last 20 years.

It is the same thing as asking why German is still used, now that English is a world language.

Re: Ask HN: Why does XEmacs still exist?

#7

Post by cjbprime » Sun, Sep 21, 2014, 8:34 PM UTC

XEmacs had things (multiple terminals attached at once, internationalization, color themes, input methods, and so on) long before (like a decade before) GNU Emacs had them.

But now GNU Emacs has them, so the only people still using XEmacs are approximately the people who got set up on it 20 years ago and don't feel like changing.

It still exists because things don't pop out of existence when their main reasons for having been created long ago go away.

Re: Ask HN: Why does XEmacs still exist?

#8

Post by na85 » Sun, Sep 21, 2014, 8:37 PM UTC

Are there usage statistics showing which is more popular? I've never even heard of XEmacs until just now.

Re: Ask HN: Why does XEmacs still exist?

#9

Post by readme » Sun, Sep 21, 2014, 8:37 PM UTC

muuh-gnu wrote: post #6

The same way you could ask why GNU Emacs still exists. Because there are people who for various tiny (rational or irrational) reasons dont want to switch the editor they've been using the last 20 years. It is the same thing as asking why German is still used, now that English is a world language.

I'm pretty sure there are still new users adopting GNU Emacs as their text editor.

Re: Ask HN: Why does XEmacs still exist?

#10

Post by ScottBurson » Sun, Sep 21, 2014, 8:46 PM UTC

I've used XEmacs all day every day ever since it was Lucid Emacs. I probably could switch to GNU Emacs if I really wanted, but I'm used to XEmacs, and I have a lot of personal customizations that would have to be changed. I don't really know how hard that would be, but I'm very glad that XEmacs continues to be maintained nonetheless.