Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!lll-winken!lll-tis!helios.ee.lbl.gov!pasteur!ames!umd5!brl-adm!adm!PAAAAAR%CALSTATE.BITNET@cunyvm.cuny.edu From: PAAAAAR%CALSTATE.BITNET@cunyvm.cuny.edu Newsgroups: comp.unix.questions Subject: RE: vi vs emacs in a student environment Message-ID: <16558@brl-adm.ARPA> Date: 19 Jul 88 20:11:15 GMT Sender: news@brl-adm.ARPA Lines: 28 (Root Boy) Jim Cottrell writes >The ASCII definition of DEL is `rubout', i.e. delete-backward-character. Historically RUBOUT was a code that was all ones and so could be used to 'rubout' an erroneus character on a piece of paper tape because it was all holes, unlike NULL which was all non-holes and used for leaving the paper tape as it was or preparing a long lead in..... Like BEL (ring that bell) and CR (Carriage Return) much of the ASCII control codes are Hysterically Historical:-) By the way DEC perverted ASCII very successfully when it decided that Device Control 3 and Device Control 1 would signal pause and restart transmission (CTRL/S, CTRL/Q). Similarly There use of SUB (CTRL/Z) to indicate EOF file was quite non ASCII standard, and so on. I have/am developing a list of the various perverted forms of ASCII control codes. Mail me the weirdest you've heard of (CTRL/P as interupt?, CR as ine feed and vv) and I can summarise to the net. Dick Botting PAAAAAR@CCS.CSUSCC.CALSTATE(doc-dick) paaaaar@calstate.bitnet PAAAAAR%CALSTATE.BITNET@{depends on the phase of the moon}.EDU Dept Comp Sci., CSUSB, 5500 State Univ Pkway, San Bernardino CA 92407 Disclaimer: What with my brain, my fingers, this Mac, Red Ryder, the PDP and its software, NOS and the CSU CYBERS, plus transmission errors, your machine, terminal, eyes, and brain,..... I probably didn't think what you thought you just read any way!