# Emacs Artist Mode

> package for producing ASCII art with a mouse or with keyboard keys

**Wikidata**: [Q113110920](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q113110920)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/emacs-artist-mode

## Summary
Emacs Artist Mode is a package for producing ASCII art with a mouse or keyboard keys within the GNU Emacs text editor. Created by Tomas Abrahamsson in 1998, it allows users to create drawings using text characters directly in the Emacs environment.

## Key Facts
- Created by Tomas Abrahamsson on March 1, 1998
- Part of GNU Emacs, a free software text editor
- Written in Emacs Lisp programming language
- License is Q27016754
- Website is https://www.lysator.liu.se/~tab/artist/
- Source code is hosted at https://git.savannah.gnu.org/cgit/emacs.git/tree/lisp/textmodes/artist.el
- Instance of free software, software library, and Emacs mode
- Copyright holder is Q48413 (Free Software Foundation)
- Copyright status is copyrighted

## FAQs
### Q: What is Emacs Artist Mode used for?
A: Emacs Artist Mode is a package for producing ASCII art with a mouse or keyboard keys within the GNU Emacs text editor.

### Q: When was Emacs Artist Mode created?
A: Emacs Artist Mode was created by Tomas Abrahamsson on March 1, 1998.

### Q: What programming language is Emacs Artist Mode written in?
A: Emacs Artist Mode is written in Emacs Lisp, the dialect of Lisp used in GNU Emacs.

### Q: Is Emacs Artist Mode free software?
A: Yes, Emacs Artist Mode is free software, distributed under terms that allow users to freely run, study, change and distribute it and modified versions.

## Why It Matters
Emacs Artist Mode represents an early example of integrating creative tools into text editors, demonstrating how software can bridge functionality and artistic expression. As part of the free software movement, it embodies the principle that tools should be adaptable to user needs beyond their primary functions. For Emacs users, it provides a unique way to create visual art using text characters, maintaining the editor's philosophy of extensibility. Its longevity since 1998 speaks to its utility and the value of specialized tools within broader software ecosystems.

## Notable For
- One of the earliest ASCII art creation tools integrated into a major text editor
- Allows both mouse and keyboard input for creating ASCII art, providing flexibility
- Part of the GNU Emacs ecosystem, benefiting from Emacs's extensibility and customization
- Maintained as free software since its inception in 1998
- Written entirely in Emacs Lisp, demonstrating the power of Emacs's extension language

## Body
### Overview
Emacs Artist Mode is a package for producing ASCII art with a mouse or keyboard keys within the GNU Emacs text editor. It was created by Tomas Abrahamsson on March 1, 1998, and has been maintained as part of the free software movement.

### Technical Details
- Written entirely in Emacs Lisp, the dialect of Lisp used in GNU Emacs
- Source code is hosted at https://git.savannah.gnu.org/cgit/emacs.git/tree/lisp/textmodes/artist.el
- Part of the GNU Emacs distribution, specifically in the textmodes directory
- Instance of free software, software library, and Emacs mode
- Copyright holder is the Free Software Foundation (Q48413)
- Copyright status is copyrighted

### Functionality
- Allows users to create ASCII art drawings using text characters
- Supports both mouse and keyboard input methods
- Integrated directly into the Emacs environment
- Provides tools for drawing lines, rectangles, circles, and other shapes using ASCII characters

### Licensing and Distribution
- Distributed under free software license (Q27016754)
- Part of the free software movement
- Website available at https://www.lysator.liu.se/~tab/artist/ (in English)

### History
- Created on March 1, 1998
- Has been maintained continuously since inception
- Represents an early example of creative tools in text editors

## References

1. [Source](https://www.lysator.liu.se/~tab/artist/)