'Mother of all editors' Emacs is 50
Emacs, originally a set of macros developed for the TECO editor in 1962, has reached its 50th anniversary. MIT Technology Review marks the milestone by exploring how the editor, whose name stands for 'Editing Macros', became foundational to the free software movement. The article traces Emacs' origins through multiple timelines and accounts, noting various forks and reimplementations including XEmacs, and acknowledges key figures like Guy L. Steele Jr. in its creation.
Key points
- Emacs celebrates 50 years since its origins as macros for the TECO editor
- The editor played a key role in launching the free software movement
- Multiple forks and reimplementations exist, including XEmacs
- Created by figures including Guy L. Steele Jr at MIT's AI Lab
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