I do admit VSCode is a very polished product. Just like the other tools I mentioned (PyCharm, Kaleidoscope for diffs, Tower App as git client etc).
What makes Emacs different - when you look beyond the simple looking interface - is the possibility to make the packages
/ plugins work together not intended by the original authors by creating hooks that change the return value of the packages, and you can tie together the tools by writing Elisp scripts.
As to where to start: There are many young and ambitious hackers who are re-developing Emacs + Lisp for creating their custom dev / hacking / writing environment, and who create wonderful youtube videos. Magnar Sveen started doing this several years ago (emacsrock.com), then there are (among others) Protesilas Stavrou or the channel of "System Crafters".
When you prefer reading books: "An Introduction To Programming In Emacs Lisp" from Robert Chassell is excellent for learning the basics of Elisp. Mickey Petersens "Mastering Emacs" is excellent. Harley Hahn's Emacs Field Guide is recommended as well.
Also, r/emacs and r/orgmode are excellent communities.
Give yourself time. Don't hurry. Emacs is a tool that will keep your company in twenty years from now, when all the hyped tools are long gone (Textmate users moved to Sublime, then some of them to VS Code, who know's what's next?).
Textmate users moved to sublime because they felt it was better, so did sublime users to vscode.
They could get a better experience with very minimal time of training or mastery, because the next tool they used was user friendly and better for them.
What’s wrong with that ? If new tools that are better and easy to use keep coming then that is something to celebrate.
What makes Emacs different - when you look beyond the simple looking interface - is the possibility to make the packages / plugins work together not intended by the original authors by creating hooks that change the return value of the packages, and you can tie together the tools by writing Elisp scripts.
As to where to start: There are many young and ambitious hackers who are re-developing Emacs + Lisp for creating their custom dev / hacking / writing environment, and who create wonderful youtube videos. Magnar Sveen started doing this several years ago (emacsrock.com), then there are (among others) Protesilas Stavrou or the channel of "System Crafters".
When you prefer reading books: "An Introduction To Programming In Emacs Lisp" from Robert Chassell is excellent for learning the basics of Elisp. Mickey Petersens "Mastering Emacs" is excellent. Harley Hahn's Emacs Field Guide is recommended as well.
Also, r/emacs and r/orgmode are excellent communities.
Give yourself time. Don't hurry. Emacs is a tool that will keep your company in twenty years from now, when all the hyped tools are long gone (Textmate users moved to Sublime, then some of them to VS Code, who know's what's next?).