Everyday, I use Emacs as the universal tool to do most work, including
- editing all kinds of source codes (e.g., Matlab, C/C++, Latex, Python, Html, Css);
- simulating shells for running Matlab, Python and Zsh;
- connecting server through SSH and running multiple processes via Screen;
- organizing folders and documents on my Mac;
- taking notes (e.g., Org, Markdown) and synchronizing them with Evernote;
- maintaining Git repositories.
The reason I like Emacs is very simple: being focused and productive. Most time I have only two softwares running, Spotify for playing music and Emacs for working. Always staying in a single Emacs environment can largely save your time in switching between different softwares and reducing the possibility of being distracted by other information (e.g., Facebook, Email, News, Youtube). Within Emacs, you can develop your favorite work-flow and stick with the same key shortcuts for different tasks.
I recommend to use the Emacs version from Railwaycat's Port, which provides a native GUI support for latest Mac OSX.
- Download and install Prelude as the default Emacs configuration;
- Copy
my-basic.elandmatlab/to the fold~/.emacs.d/personal;
I barely use the default Matlab user interface. Instead, I run Matlab in Emacs.
To start the Matlab shell in Emacs, you could type M-m l using my Emacs configuration.