On: Emacs on an iPad

[wmwragg]

I believe the iSH app[1] can run Emacs without jailbreaking the iPad. I use it a lot, but not for Emacs.

[1] https://github.com/ish-app/ish

[notpushkin → wmwragg]

I lose it every time I see the “A note on the JIT” section.

So a warning: Long-term exposure to this code may cause loss of sanity, nightmares about GAS macros and linker errors, or any number of other debilitating side effects. This code is known to the State of California to cause cancer, birth defects, and reproductive harm.

https://github.com/ish-app/ish#a-note-on-the-jit

[themmes → wmwragg]

Your comment made my week, I've been looking for a way to run Emacs (not remotely) on my iPad Pro since buying it in 2020. To confirm I just downloaded iSH and installed Emacs 27.2 (i586-alpine-linux-musl build) successfully. Now lets see what devilish compromises I need to make on keybindings..

[skhm → themmes]

I can't mentally get over cringing while using ish, thinking about how many emulated x86 calls are being made under the hood, wasting the incredible CPU in the iPad.

I tried emacs in it once and it was too slow to be usable - would be keen to hear if you get a performant setup.

[fsiefken → skhm]

As an alternative, using UTM with a lightweight linux distro might be more performant. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJfRJhJznzM

Or just run alpine with openssh and ssh in locally through an iOS client. I'd be curious how running UTM/qemu continuously would affect battery life. Is it 10% or 50% less? 10% would be an acceptable trade off for me.

[saagarjha → fsiefken]

I would be pretty surprised if it was more performant.

[ngcc_hk → themmes]

How to handle alt key. Most even ish just give you ctrl key

[saagarjha → ngcc_hk]

Terminals don’t really have a concept of an alt key. Most map it to meta which you can get by tapping ⎋.