Apple - Emacs on Mac OS X - To Alt or Command?

See the options under M-x customize-group ns

There you can adjust the behavior of the modifier keys. I have set the right alt to "No modifier" - that's the same behavior as on PC keyboards with Alt-Gr.

Another setting I like is to unset both alt keys and use the function key instead for alt.

I have also had this problem for years! Just recently I tried out Emacs in OS X again. I finally fixed the problem by adding the following in my .emacs: (This is with Emacs 24.3)

(when (eq system-type 'darwin)
  (setq mac-right-option-modifier 'none))

Some people I know always buy Macs with US keyboards for exactly this reason.

I cursed at Emacs too (in Swedish, as well) and the only solution I've found is to use the US Extended layout, but using my Swedish keyboard. I spent several years with a US keyboard as my main keyboard so I can switch more or less without thinking.

If you're not willing to go the layout-switching route, OS X Emacs in Swedish is just painful.

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Edit: Just found a hint for Spanish that might be of help. The idea is to remap the character that gets sent to Emacs to the one you desire. I haven't tried it, but it sounds promising.