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c/emacs · by Digit@lemmy.wtf · 247d

Who is the youngest emacs user?

The idea for this post started today when I saw in #emacs-til on libera.chat:

  • [2026-01-17 22:30:19] TIL emacs is just not for old boomers lol
  • [2026-01-17 22:31:53] also for younger boomers
  • [2026-01-17 22:33:10] haha that's me!
  • [2026-01-17 22:33:17] lil baby baby boomer
  • [2026-01-17 23:25:18] the Youth of Today love Emacs
  • [2026-01-17 23:25:29] I asked one of them back in... uh...
  • [2026-01-17 23:25:31] 1991?

So I did a websearch for the youngest emacs user, and, the websearch results couldn't help but all be about how old emacs users are.

So I ask Lemmy...

Who is the youngest emacs user?

[And no, before anyone thinks otherwise, that image is not real. I just put that together for whimsical illustration, from an image search or 3, with a relevant comment, an image from an article about a 2 year old who self-taught the alphabet, and an image of an emacs welcome screen pasted together with the help of the GIMP.]

Who is the youngest emacs user?

Anyone younger than 40? In 20s? Teens?? Younger??!

44 points · 15 comments · view on lemmy.world

15 Comments

nesc@lemmy.cafe · 8 pts · 247d

I've started in twenties, now in early thirties. I think it's just niche no matter old or young.

chonglibloodsport@lemmy.world · 5 pts · 246d

I used emacs for school back in 2017… I was 33 at the time!

wer2@lemmy.zip · 5 pts · 246d (3 replies)

I use Emacs and I am not old. I am only.... Oh no... I am old...

Digit@lemmy.wtf · 1 pts · 246d (2 replies)

Does feel a little weird that I'm older than emacs.

Digit@lemmy.wtf · 1 pts · 246d (1 reply)

and shall always be

Digit@lemmy.wtf · 1 pts · 246d

forever

xianjam@programming.dev · 5 pts · 246d (1 reply)

I didn't use emacs much until around 2014, but I remember playing the Emacs Adventure around 2006 when I was 11.

Digit@lemmy.wtf · 5 pts · 246d

I didn’t use emacs much until around 2014,

Heh. I started using emacs in 2014, when an irc friend who had been using it for a decade were moving parts of their 10 year old config to a new one (iirc, they were moving to org-mode config), and then in 2024, I did the same, moved my 10 year old config over to an org-mode config.

Anyhoo,

but I remember playing the Emacs Adventure around 2006 when I was 11.

  1. Can we count that as the youngest yet?
Lembot_0006@programming.dev · 3 pts · 247d

Emacs: ... old brain compatibility...
Vim: Brain? Beep-beep-beep...

LadyMeow@lemmy.blahaj.zone · 3 pts · 246d

I use vim, and in under 40

drosophila@lemmy.blahaj.zone · 2 pts · 246d (1 reply)

This guy doesn't look that old.

Digit@lemmy.wtf · 1 pts · 246d

Yeah, I saw that (~ my guess, he's about 40), and it lands on a similar sentiment as this guy (~ my guess about 30).

Digit@lemmy.wtf · 1 pts · 246d (2 replies)

Some other young ones in irc:

  • [2026-01-18 17:01:33] I've used emacs since I was 13/14, 20 now
  • [2026-01-18 17:02:11] My girlfriend also used it for a solid while, she's 22
  • [2026-01-18 17:02:19] so I used Emacs when I was ~15-16 but really never learned it well, then didn't touch it for 7-8 years

11's still the number to beat, if we're counting "playing the Emacs Adventure" (which of course we should).

13/14's a solid young use.

I think we're starting to show emacs is not just for "old brain".

Hisse@programming.dev · 2 pts · 156d (1 reply)

Im not in my teens yet and I use emacs, but Im still older than 11

Digit@lemmy.wtf · 1 pts · 155d

Impressive. Same age as the youngest to ever do fusion. Jackson Oswalt.