No matter how slick Linux on the desktop gets, there will probably always be a gulf between new users and veterans for whom the Linux environment has become second nature. Root accounts, the filesystem hierarchy, the dizzying array of distributions — they seem strange at first, but eventually new users learn that are nothing to be feared. So too with the "programmer's editors" Emacs and Vi/Vim: the first encounter can be intimidating because of the unfamiliarity of either editor. As an Emacs user, I'm interested in providing some advocacy, so if you've been wondering just what the point of an editor like Emacs is, or if you're not sure how to get started, read on for a gentle introduction.