I want to try org-mode. What's the shortest path from zero to typing?

Question

I want to give emacs' org-mode a try. What is the shortest path for me to accomplish that? Assume NO previous experience with emacs.

(I'm aware that other editors, like vim and textmate, have similar task lists. I'm specifically interested in learning about the emacs org-mode)

My laptop runs Win7 Home Premium x64

Answer 1

I use Emacs (when I'm on Windows) with the official binaries at http://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/emacs/windows/emacs-22.3-barebin-i386.zip Just unzip to a directory and double click "runemacs".

In all the commands that follow, C stands for Ctrl.

Create a file ending in .org. If using recent Emacs, that will automatically start org-mode. You can create a file using C-x C-f.

Start creating outlines like this:

* Level 1 ** Level 2 

Collapse/Uncollapse outline levels with TAB

Todo's you can cycle by hitting C-c C-t

That's the basics, and pretty much all I know, but I already use it extensively :)

Have a look at the tutorials on http://orgmode.org/worg/org-tutorials/