Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!swrinde!mips!cs.uoregon.edu!ogicse!unmvax!bbx!yenta!dt From: dt@yenta.alb.nm.us (David B. Thomas) Newsgroups: comp.sources.wanted Subject: Re: SUMMARY: Super-simple UNIX editor Keywords: simple UNIX text editor simped dte emacs elisp WordStar Message-ID: <1991Jun14.004711.25643@yenta.alb.nm.us> Date: 14 Jun 91 00:47:11 GMT References: <1991Jun13.052839.9509@hawkmoon.MN.ORG> Organization: yenta unix pc, rio rancho, nm Lines: 51 det@hawkmoon.MN.ORG (Derek E. Terveer) writes: >Could you name some messy-dos editors that would do the trick if there >were unix versions? >[...] >Sheesh. You can't please everybody. I understand what Derek is getting at, but I think what a lot of novice unix users would like to see is something along the lines of the editor that comes with Borland's "Turbo" products. Let me define what "intuitive" means to me (in decreasing order of importance): - text typed is always inserted at cursor (only one mode) - arrow keys move as indicated - backspace always deletes before cursor, including 's - function keys either do nothing, or do what they say ("end" should go to the end of something, etc.) Sure, all editors must be learned, but this way, a beginner only needs to memorize how to get in and how to get out. Other than that, if they know: - at least one way to get the cursor to any place they want - at least one way to remove an unwanted character - at least one way to add a wanted character then they are up and running, and only need to refine their skills as their (im)patience dictates. I think just about anybody can be told "use the arrows and backspace for editing, and hit when you're finished", and be capable of editing a text file. Therefore *any* editor that supports these rudimentary capabilities would do nicely. As far as I know (please, PLEASE correct me if I'm wrong... the editor would be more valuable to me than my dignity :-) there is no such editor available under unix. That means that a unix novice must spend a minimum of several hours fussing with inscrutable manuals even to be able to compose a usenet posting or "hello world" program. Unix has always been for programmers. The first time I started vi, I lost lots of my work, and it took a lot of practice before I got past the stage where editor-trouble was dominating my development time. Now I use it all the time. It's great! Don't get me wrong. But ... the first time I booted Turbo C, I typed in several complete programs and ran them in the first hour, without even breaking the shrink wrap on the manuals! I prefer vi, but all editors are not the best for all users. little david -- Unix is not your mother.