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 16.3 Beginning a ‘.emacs’ File
 ==============================
 
 When you start Emacs, it loads your ‘.emacs’ file unless you tell it not
 to by specifying ‘-q’ on the command line.  (The ‘emacs -q’ command
 gives you a plain, out-of-the-box Emacs.)
 
    A ‘.emacs’ file contains Lisp expressions.  Often, these are no more
 than expressions to set values; sometimes they are function definitions.
 
    The Init File ‘~/.emacs’ (emacs)Init File, for a short
 description of initialization files.
 
    This chapter goes over some of the same ground, but is a walk among
 extracts from a complete, long-used ‘.emacs’ file—my own.
 
    The first part of the file consists of comments: reminders to myself.
 By now, of course, I remember these things, but when I started, I did
 not.
 
      ;;;; Bob's .emacs file
      ; Robert J. Chassell
      ; 26 September 1985
 
 Look at that date!  I started this file a long time ago.  I have been
 adding to it ever since.
 
      ; Each section in this file is introduced by a
      ; line beginning with four semicolons; and each
      ; entry is introduced by a line beginning with
      ; three semicolons.
 
 This describes the usual conventions for comments in Emacs Lisp.
 Everything on a line that follows a semicolon is a comment.  Two, three,
 and four semicolons are used as subsection and section markers.  (
 (elisp)Comments, for more about comments.)
 
      ;;;; The Help Key
      ; Control-h is the help key;
      ; after typing control-h, type a letter to
      ; indicate the subject about which you want help.
      ; For an explanation of the help facility,
      ; type control-h two times in a row.
 
 Just remember: type ‘C-h’ two times for help.
 
      ; To find out about any mode, type control-h m
      ; while in that mode.  For example, to find out
      ; about mail mode, enter mail mode and then type
      ; control-h m.
 
 “Mode help”, as I call this, is very helpful.  Usually, it tells you all
 you need to know.
 
    Of course, you don’t need to include comments like these in your
 ‘.emacs’ file.  I included them in mine because I kept forgetting about
 Mode help or the conventions for comments—but I was able to remember to
 look here to remind myself.
 

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