Re: SEUL: Text editors.

[Kevin Forge <forgeltd@pop.netaddress.usa.net>]

Donovan Rebbechi wrote:
> 
> > > Nedit isn't free it's linked to motif.
> > >
> > This point had escaped me ... I use several X editors and can't remember
> > the name of sume.  I haven't found many with design problems, but I have
> > found a few that don't work ( core dumps etc... )
> 
> Yep. Seen a few myself (-:
> 
> > Nedit must have been 1 of those I didn't use since I don't have Motif
> > ( can't afford it )
> 
> It's _statically_ linked. Anyone can use it, but it's built on a
> commercial product. Much like KDE.
>
Ohh ... static ? ... I'll go look for it then. 
>
> > > BTW, pico isn't free either.  It may be free enough but that's debatable.
> > >
> > I'm not too worried about what's fully free.  As long as it can be
> > included in a commercial distro and a free distro.  I only know about
> > usability.  see below.
> 
> Pico is very usable. There are key bindings, but they are all written on
> the bottom of the screen. How do I cut text again ? Oh, it says
> ^K Cut text
> on the bottom of the screen. So I'll try ^K.
> ee is also like this. This is a good thing to have in a text editor. It is
> highly self-explanatory.
> 
> > > This is a very strange thing to say.  I can use edit.com blindfolded but
> > > can't do a damned thing in WP5.0/1 without using a menu pop-up and scanning
> > >            ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
> > > the menu's for what I want to do.  F5 opens a file in WP but alt-o does in
> > > ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
> > > all MS products.  F7 exits WP but alt-x exits all MS products.  alt-s saves
> > > in MS products but, I think it's shift F7 in WP.
> > >
> > > Where's the similarity?
> > >
> > The highlighted comment is WHAT made WP51 easy for me.  You didn't need
> > to
> > memorize Keybindings.  That is good in the long run, but when you just
> > need to edit a few small files to customize your system or fix a
> > problem, Drop down menus are where it's att ( see my last post about 1
> > real world example )
> 
> The drop down menus themselves aren't necessary. Check out pico and ee.
> Like I said, it should be self-explanatory (use of it) and the explanation
> should be on the screen right under the users nose the whole time.
>
With drop down menues there are 6 keys that you use for things other
than
typing and selecting text.  alt, enter, and the 4 arrow keys.
> 
> What is important is the users shouldn't need to memorise key bindings.
> That's why pico and ee have their noses in front of all the other guys.
>
How many SEUs know that '^' means Ctrl ? ... I didn't when I first tried 
pico.  now that I know this and went back ( a few minutes ago ) it made 
sence.
> 
> > If you don't remember 'F5 to open new file' you will remember 'alt to
> > drop down menu and arrow keys to find what I want'
> > As for keybindings.  I can't think of a single reason to not have 2 or
> > 3 keybindings for some functions
> 
> Makes life simpler if you avoid this.
>
Simpler for the programer.  I have seen progs with multiple keybindings 
and they work fine.  i.e... pico ( the 1 you all like ) uses '^V' and
'Page Down' for the same thing.  
How do I know this ?  I saw the bindings and hit Page/Down key anyway.
>
> -- Donovan

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