January 10, 2026
Text Wars: pick your punctuation
Org Mode Syntax Is One of the Most Reasonable Markup Languages to Use for Text
Org Mode says it's best; the crowd shouts 'Use Markdown'
TLDR: An updated blog champions Org mode syntax as the most sensible way to format text, even outside Emacs. Comments erupted: Markdown loyalists preach adoption, Emacs fans say Org only shines in Emacs, and minimalists tout Gemini’s gemtext—turning a nerdy write‑up into a full‑blown markup culture clash.
A long-running blog post declared Org mode syntax the “most reasonable” way to write formatted text. It’s about simple rules called markup languages that add headings, bold, links, and lists using symbols. The piece has been updated for years, even got a rebrand “Orgdown,” plus a section on the “Markdown flavor explosion.” But the comments turned it into a feud.
On one side, Markdown loyalists: “We do not need another competing standard” and a mic‑drop “markdown.” They argue adoption beats perfection and warn that if Org got big, it would splinter too. On the other, Emacs power‑users say Org truly shines inside Emacs — the keyboard kung‑fu editor — calling it a full personal info manager (PIM) rather than just markup. Translation: outside Emacs, it’s fancy syntax.
Then came the plot twist: a crowd cheering Gemini’s gemtext — basically “Markdown with fewer features.” Fans love the no‑frills vibe and easy parsing, tossing shade at both camps. Meme energy surfaced with jokes about “another standard” bingo cards and one‑word replies. The author swears Org works anywhere, not just Emacs, but the vibe? Internet court split between “use what everybody uses” and “simplicity wins, even if it means less” for many readers.
Key Points
- •The article explains core Org mode syntax elements for headings, formatting, links, lists, TODO checkboxes, and preformatted text.
- •Org mode syntax is presented as usable across many text editors and not tied to Emacs.
- •Org tables are acknowledged as more complex; manual alignment is tedious outside Emacs but valid tables can be created without alignment.
- •The author asserts Org mode syntax is standardized and contrasts this with Markdown’s many flavors.
- •Updates note the introduction of “Orgdown” and expanded sections on syntax examples, tool support, and Markdown flavor proliferation.