Very Computer

Posted for a local user without news access. Please reply to his email
address.  Thanks.
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In need of:

A simple text editor which is not modal, i.e. is similar to your basic
DOS (hack, cough, spit) editor.  Capabilities needed are Insert/Overtype
using the insert key, delete using the delete key, and movement using the
arrow keys.  Should be terminfo compatible if possible, although termcap
will suffice.

I have looked high and low and places I shouldn't have looked trying to
find one of these.  Every non-modal editor I have found is either a
monstrosity like Emacs or is inundated with wierd, programmer-oriented
capabilities.

To be honest, as much as I like big, fancy, configurable editors like
GNU Emacs and the like, for non-programmers it sucks.  Kind of like
teaching a kid to swim in the ocean--he'll probably die before he learns.

I would even be willing to port something from another environment
(I won't mention any names, here) if someone will give me the source code.

Anybody out there know of such an animal?

P.S.  Please reply by email.  I don't get to read the newsgroups much
(which may be evident by this article).

--
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Mike Lemon                                                       Sysad/Developer
uunet!4gen!kisner!mdl
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--
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 Phillip Pascoe              Bob Jones University              Greenville, SC
 uunet!bjudev!ppascoe                                    Opinions are my own.
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Newsgroups: comp.sys.m68k
Subject: Stride Software NEEDED!
Summary:
Expires:


Followup-To:
Distribution: usa
Organization: Crash TimeSharing, El Cajon, CA
Keywords: 68000 p-system cpm c modem shareware software

From: Alan Robinson
To:   ALL
Subj: SAGE/STRIDE COMPUTERS
 1: I have been given a Stride 440 computer and I am looking
 2: for other people that own this computer. This computer uses the 68000
 3: and both the P-system and CPM at 10mz. I am looking for the following
 4: Software: the source for a Modem program that can transfer binary in
 5: PASCAL, FORTRAN, or BASIC. This software must be very generic. Also
 6: I'm looking for a 'C' compiler to run on the P-system: Pecan made
 7: a 'C' compiler but I need to find someone who has a copy.
 8: Finally I'm looking for a UnZipper program in source, in the lanuages
 9: above.

11: leave mail.  I can use Help in learning where to look for
12: the above.

[ Mike Lemon <uunet!4gen!kisner!mdl> ]

Quote:>[....]
> To be honest, as much as I like big, fancy, configurable editors like
> GNU Emacs and the like, for non-programmers it sucks.  Kind of like
> teaching a kid to swim in the ocean--he'll probably die before he learns.

I think this logic is silly, and only reflects on the ability of the
teacher (and of course the teacher depends on the ability of the
student to learn :-).

There are precisely five things you *must* learn to use any editor:

        how to start it with a file             [ "emacs filename" ]
        how to start typing text                [ just do it! ]
        how to make simple corrections          [ <DEL> or <BACKSPACE> ]
        how to save your file                   [ ^X^S or ^Xs ]
        how to quit                             [ ^X^C ]

Everything beyond this is gravy, and an editor with good on-line help
(like most emacs-like editors) makes the gravy very tasty!

Of course for a full-screen editor, the following make use more palatable:

        how to move the cursor in all directions
        how to insert and delete a line
        how to page up and down (cursor movement's may do :-)

The fewer the number keystrokes required to perform these tasks, and
the more intuitive they are (eg. cursor keys move the cursor), the
easier it will be to begin using the given editor.  The JOVE tutorial
(teach-jove) will teach all of these skills in the first screen or
two, and I'm told it's based on the GNU-emacs tutorial.

Those with naturally curious personalities will learn more and more
about the editor until they begin modifying it to suite their tastes,
and those without will stick to the above operations forever.  Most
people fit somewhere in between, so rudimentary on-line help and/or
documentation is essential to facilitate learning.
--
                                                Greg A. Woods

+1 416 443-1734 [home] +1 416 595-5425 [work]   Toronto, Ontario; CANADA

Quote:A.  Woods) writes:
> There are precisely five things you *must* learn to use any editor:

>       how to start it with a file             [ "emacs filename" ]
>       how to start typing text                [ just do it! ]
>       how to make simple corrections          [ <DEL> or <BACKSPACE> ]
>       how to save your file                   [ ^X^S or ^Xs ]
>       how to quit                             [ ^X^C ]

By that definition, I would say cat(1) fills the bill (and is much simpler
than emacs):

        how to start it with a file             [ "cat >filename" ]
        how to start typing text                [ just do it! ]
        how to make simple corrections          [ <DEL> or <BACKSPACE> ]
        how to save your file                   [ ^D ]
        how to quit                             [ not necessary! ]

So, is cat(1) an editor?
--
Pierre LEWIS    +1 514 765-8207      ESN 852-8207

Implementing standards is like walking on water -- both work best when frozen.

No.  Can you edit an existing file?

--
Barry E. Brown        --        \  Cal-Animage Beta publications officer

Somewhere in San Diego, CA.....   \    (ftp network.ucsd.edu [128.54.16.3])
"Kaeshite! Kaeshite! Kaeshitekaeshitekaeshite!"  -- Azusa (Ranma 1/2)

Quote:Brown) writes:

> No.  Can you edit an existing file?

Of course you can't.  Nor can you with the five functions the original author
proposed since you can't move in the file.  By his definition, cat(1) is an
editor (although as someone else correctly pointed out, BACKSPACE/DEL isn't
handled by cat but by the terminal driver).

--
Pierre LEWIS    +1 514 765-8207      ESN 852-8207

Implementing standards is like walking on water -- both work best when frozen.