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From: phil@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu (Phil Howard KA9WGN)
Newsgroups: comp.sources.wanted
Subject: Re: SUMMARY: Super-simple UNIX editor
Keywords: simple UNIX text editor simped dte emacs elisp WordStar
Message-ID: <1991Jun18.221700.6160@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu>
Date: 18 Jun 91 22:17:00 GMT
References: <jpc.676756992@avdms8.msfc.nasa.gov> <1991Jun13.052839.9509@hawkmoon.MN.ORG> <1991Jun14.004711.25643@yenta.alb.nm.us>
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana
Lines: 50

dt@yenta.alb.nm.us (David B. Thomas) writes:

>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 <cr>'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 was about to type in exactly the same thing above except that I would have
included:

On a PC:
	"Delete" should delete the current character
	"Home" should go to the home place (beginning of file)
	"End" should to to the end of the file (is below "Home")
	"Page Up" and "Page Down" should move about a screen's worth.

This sounds so utterly obvious that maybe editor programmers of the past who
wrote editors for programmers were more afraid of accidently insulting someone?

There certainly is no reason that an editor that adheres to the above specs
cannot have additional features as well.  The point is that a minimal subset
to do most reasonable things will exist and most people can get going without
having to learn what someone else happens to think are nifty features.

Of course the catch is making sure that things like the arrow keys are being
interpreted correctly.  I don't know if termcap has this info or not (I know
where to look, I just haven't yet) for the Unix version.

I am planning to write a terminal/telnet program for a PC which will have an
integrated local editor (for faster editing responses, special graphics, etc.)
which edits files on the remote host and plan to make the default keymapping
include the above.
-- 
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