Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!csd4.milw.wisc.edu!jgd@csd4.milw.wisc.edu
From: jgd@csd4.milw.wisc.edu (John G Dobnick,EMS E380,4142295727,)
Newsgroups: comp.mail.elm
Subject: Elm command misfeature
Message-ID: <963@csd4.milw.wisc.edu>
Date: 14 Feb 89 05:44:26 GMT
Sender: news@csd4.milw.wisc.edu
Lines: 42

Somewhere along the line (Elm 2.0 ?), the "Z" command was added to Elm.
When one types this command, it echos "Command: ZZ" and Elm then procedes
to exit and SAVE ALL MESSAGES in the "save file".

I have two objections to this.  One is that I ALWAYS want to be asked
if I want messages saved, since I prefer to leave unanswered things in the
system mailbox.  This command does not allow me that choice.

The second, and more serious, objection is that Elm lies to me!  Yes, LIES!!!
I type a *single* "Z", and Elm says I typed "ZZ".  (And, needless to
say, I don't like this.)

I would like to know the reason for the "Z" command.  (I note that the "vi"
editor uses "ZZ" to exit, but this requires *TWO* keystrokes.  If the
intent was that Elm emulate this exit command, its implementation is
faulty.)

Also, please note that it is very easy to *accidentally* hit a "Z" if
one's fingers miss the "shift" key (on at least some keyboards, "shift"
and "Z" are adjacent).  This is poor human engineering.  (This keeps "getting"
me, and I get tired of re-editing my system mailbox to restore these 
"lost" messages.)

I would like to see one of the following changes made.

a) Correct the implementation of this option to require *two* keystrokes.
   A quick examination of the code reveals no obvious difficulty here.

b) Make this command configurable.  A compile-time option is fine, but
   a run-time option, specifiable in the .elmrc file, may be better.

c) Remove the "Z" command.


All my opinion, but this "Z" thing *really* irritates me.

All that said, I *like* elm!  It's my favorite, and only, mailer.
--
-- 
John G Dobnick
Computing Services Division @ University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee
INTERNET: jgd@csd4.milw.wisc.edu