Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!clyde.concordia.ca!uunet!samsung!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!ncar!boulder!seri!wind55!marshall From: marshall@wind55.seri.gov (Marshall L. Buhl) Newsgroups: comp.windows.ms Subject: Re: Windows text editor Message-ID: <1990May2.162208.7206@seri.gov> Date: 2 May 90 16:22:08 GMT References: <29366@cup.portal.com> <1990Apr30.181344.1395@seri.gov> Sender: news@seri.gov (news [NO CHARGE]) Organization: Solar Energy Research Institute Lines: 82 craig@unify.uucp (Craig Isaacs) writes: >In article <1990Apr30.181344.1395@seri.gov> marshall@wind55.seri.gov (Marshall L. Buhl) writes: >>MJB@cup.portal.com (Martin J Brown-Jr) writes: >> >>>Anybody seen a text editor for Windows386 (pd, shareware, or inexpensive)? >>>Notepad just doesn't cut it (I'm tired of getting those "not valid notepad >>>file" notices). >> >>What really ticks me off is that I can't even edit my WIN.INI file with it. >>I use soft fonts for my LaserJet II and they make the INI file too big to >>be edited by it. I think it's limited to 32K. >> >Am I missing something here? Isn't MS Write given away with Windows? >Although Write is certainly not a fancy wp program, it does >qualify as a text editor (and can edit win.ini). Well, yes. You can edit files with a word processor. I even own WinWord. I just PREFER to use an editor for editing text files. Word processors are generally MUCH slower than editors. They take longer to load, open files, etc. When I want to make a quick change to a file, I don't want to wait a half minute or so to do it. I'm used to fast response, and when I don't get it, I start pissing and moaning. Once you become addicted to speed, it's very hard to accept slow response. It breaks your rhythm and productivity plummets. I consider Notepad to be an embarrassment. IMHO, Windows is a GREAT idea - it just isn't executed very well. Yet. Here's hoping for 3.0! BTW, Martin tells me one can add a line to WIN.INI to increase Notepad's size. I haven't had a chance to try it yet, but I'm curious as to why MS didn't mention it to me when I was complaining about it on the phone. Martin says to try: [notepad] size=xxx To quote the manual on Notepad file size: "When a file has less than 10 percent free space, you should con- sider splitting the file and working on it as two different files." What incredibly useless advice! When I look up WIN.INI in the Notepad index (hoping for advice on increasing Notepad's max file size), it tells me to look at page 1. To quote page 1: "Microsoft Windows Notepad is a text editor you can use to create, modify, and display text files. Although Notepad is pri- marily a place to jot down notes or short memos, you can also use Notepad to create and edit batch files and to edit your WIN.INI file." OK. So now I try the index for the Windows User's Guide, I see under Notepad that they mention WIN.INI. Let's see if that tells us how to increase the default size. I turn to page 199 and there the title says "Customizing Your WIN.INI File." Sounds promising! Unfortunately, where Notepad is mentioned is in the following line: "You can make changes directly to your WIN.INI file by using Notepad." Nothing about customizing Notepad - just using it to modify WIN.INI. Why does MS have so many undocumented features in Windows? I consider that slightly unethical. So since MS doesn't intend for people to use Notepad as a general purpose text editor ("primarily a place to jot down notes and short memos" - for that I prefer yellow sticky pads), what are our options? Will WIN 3.0 have an enhanced Notepad? Does someone market a good Windows text editor? I'm willing to spend money for quality software. Will May 21 ever come? -- Marshall L. Buhl, Jr. EMAIL: marshall@seri.gov Senior Computer Engineer VOICE: (303)231-1014 Wind Research Branch 1617 Cole Blvd., Golden, CO 80401-3393 Solar Energy Research Institute Solar - safe energy for a healthy future