Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!swrinde!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!ncar!news.miami.edu!mthvax!wb8foz
From: wb8foz@mthvax.cs.miami.edu (David Lesher)
Newsgroups: comp.unix.admin
Subject: VIP mode, was:  vi "TMP file too large" error
Message-ID: <1991Feb22.011031.8267@mthvax.cs.miami.edu>
Date: 22 Feb 91 01:10:31 GMT
References: <jsrobins.667129377@galaxy.afit.af.mil> 	<TOWFIQ.91Feb21111448@babyoil.FTP.COM> <DANJ1.91Feb21151704@cbnewse.ATT.COM>
Reply-To: wb8foz@mthvax.cs.miami.edu (David Lesher)
Distribution: na
Organization: NRK Clinic for habitual NetNews Abusers
Lines: 23


I asked this before, but never got a definite reply.

Is it possible, in VIP mode, or elseways, to have a SAFE key in emacs?
By this I mean a key that REGARDLESS of what you are doing, or what
weird mode you have stumbled into, hitting it 1->n times gets you to a
fixed mode. Note that 'undo' does NOT do this. This would be expressly
for a limited function editor for neophyte email users.

A good example of SAFE is vi's <ESC> command. You hit it once, twice, n
times. It always leaves you in command mode. If you hit it too many
times, at worst it beeps.

Without some such "safehaven" I cannot see how you can try to teach the
masses how to use any shell built around emacs. One wrong step......

Ideas?

-- 
A host is a host from coast to coast.....wb8foz@mthvax.cs.miami.edu 
& no one will talk to a host that's close............(305) 255-RTFM
Unless the host (that isn't close)......................pob 570-335
is busy, hung or dead....................................33257-0335