Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!bonnie.concordia.ca!uunet!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 Message-ID: <1991Jun18.065340.25187@yenta.alb.nm.us> Date: 18 Jun 91 06:53:40 GMT References: <1991Jun14.004711.25643@yenta.alb.nm.us> <1991Jun13.052839.9509@hawkmoon.MN.ORG> <1991Jun14.195428.26603@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu> <1991Jun17.220112.7192@eci386.uucp> Organization: yenta unix pc, rio rancho, nm Lines: 46 woods@eci386.uucp (Greg A. Woods) writes: >You silly people. Why hack *out* functionality that *someone* will >eventually want to use? >[...] >vi handles cursor keys nicely. Other than that, you only need to know >, (for append) or for insert, and either or ":wq". The problem with vi is that one inevitable wrong keystroke can easily mess up your work so thoroughly that only an expert can recover it gracefully. Even if you make and an important part of the first lesson, it is very intimidating and aggravating to have to tread so lightly. I want novice users to *feel* in control, and not get discouraged. I learned to drive with an automatic transmission. Now I can appreciate the advantages of doing your own shifting, but I'd hate to start that way. What I want is an editor with training wheels! >according to one of the BSTJ articles they were taught the rudiments of >editing and file manipulation within approximately two (2) hours of >hands-on instruction. And that was in the days of ed and ASR-33's! I wish I had two hours to spend with all my novice users. Heck, I wish they had two hour attention spans. Yes, many of them have macintoshes :^) The point is ... my goal is not to teach overall unix competence, and their goal is not to attain it. They want to participate in the wonderful world of email and usenet, and don't want to have to master a complicated editor. Hey! this is the age of instant gratification. We have microwaves, macdonalds, disposable everything, ever-faster 8086 donwannabes, and the home shopping network. You don't have to be able to program to use a computer, and you shouldn't have to be able to operate a real editor to be able to type a quick letter or posting. I know vi isn't hard...but there are real people that I know and love and talk to every day who are letting it get between them and complete enjoyment and participation in the net. Amateur radio dropped the morse code requirement to bring new souls to the hobby. Let's drop our "sophisticated editor" requirement to bring some new souls to the usenet. little david -- Early to rise and late to bed, Makes a man tired, wired, and dead.