how to map metakey to ALT in Emacs

[Lowell Gilbert]

Patrick Hamal <patrick.hamal at gmail.com> writes:

> I would like to use my META (ALT in my keyboard) key instead of ESC.
> I'm using uk.cp850 keyboard and my ALT key doesn't work  on my
> console. I've tried to alter uk.cp850.kbd in
> /usr/share/syscons/keymaps, but I was unsuccessful.

[Don't modify those files in place, as they will be overwritten on
your next update.]

Note, for example, the '045' line in us.emacs.kbd; feed that line into
kbdcontrol(1), and I think you will see M-x start working (with ALT as
the Meta key).  Continue with the other letters of the alphabet...