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From: ward@chinet.UUCP (Ward Christensen)
Newsgroups: net.emacs,net.unix,net.micro
Subject: Re: Results of Editor Survey
Message-ID: <238@chinet.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 7-Dec-85 10:57:15 EST
Article-I.D.: chinet.238
Posted: Sat Dec  7 10:57:15 1985
Date-Received: Sun, 8-Dec-85 03:03:45 EST
References: <1402@wanginst.UUCP>
Reply-To: ward@chinet.UUCP (Ward Christensen)
Distribution: net
Organization: chi-net, Public Access UN*X, Chicago IL
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Xref: watmath net.emacs:1480 net.unix:6558 net.micro:12983


I've been away from usenet for a couple months, so didn't see your
(obviously excellent) editor survey in net.micro.
  I'd just like to pass along how much I like PMATE from Phoenix
software for my PC.  It is not "really up to date", i.e. no windows,
doesn't use all of memory, no multi-file (well, multi-buffer, but
only the "text" buffer has auto-file-scrolling), etc.
  BUT, it has the most powerful macro language I've seen in an editor.
(there are undoubtedly more powerful UNIX editors around - I'm talking
"in my CP/M and PC micro experience").
  I have been able to totally redefine the keyboard (I HATE the arrow keys-
they are for people who can't type and don't want to learn now).  I use
the "old fashion" ^H^J^K^L for cursor back, down, up, right, etc.  ^G is
char delete, ^S word back, ^D word right, etc.  I've defined a meta-key
^], which does things like ^]^D delete word, ^]^] change case of char under
cursor, etc.  Though not supported directly, I've even added F1 to lower
case the tagged block, F2 to upper case it, etc.
  One of its NICEST features is the repeat key, i.e. ^W causes next key to
be pressed 4 times; ^W^W for 16 times, etc.  Want a line of 78 dashes in
your file (hopefully NOT to send thru the net!) just press ^W78-  and you
get them.
  It has a permanent macro section for single char macros which are invoked
from the command line by saying .<character defining the macro>, for example,
.+ is a little macro for adding up numbers in a column (that I wrote); .<
will change hard-carriage returns into soft (it uses few embedded control
chars - hi-bit C/R being the only one I really use).  .M macro then changes
soft c/r's back, etc.
  I really like it.  Its overpriced, but can be found for  a reasonable price
by shopping around a bit.  It is my hope they'll upgrade it to a "more modern
editor" (windows, use all of memory, multi-file, etc) but they seem hung up
on their overall bag of development tools, and their hardware speed-up boards.