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Re: Adding a simple editor to the base system



On Tuesday 10 February 2009 4:42:03 pm Arnaud Lacombe wrote:
> Then, don't speak for others and let them tell us how they will enjoy
> using ee instead of vi/ed. Moreover, don't expect using curses based
> program over serial links, it is a real pain.

Ok, I'll speak for myself.   I've used UNIX (4.?BSD was my first experience)
for over 25 years.  I still know just enough vi to essentially edit a Makefile
for my favorite editor's Makefile and get it working.   That does mean that
I can also edit config files, but I don't know very much about using vi.

I just downloaded the BSD Licensed version of ee and tried it for the first
time today.  I could use it on the first run of the editor and from the first 
try
of ee, I would totally prefer ee to vi.   I didn't have to read a manual page
or anything because ee provides a small crib sheet in the edit window.
Also, the only console available on the pc532 for which I was the portmaster 
and did all my editing over years, was a serial line with a terminal.   I never 
had problems using a curses based editor on that system.

I've taught "UNIX programming" over 350 students over the last 9 years
and I have made them use NetBSD.   These are Computer Science students
who should end up being the kind of people that the NetBSD project wants
to include.   And by far the biggest problem getting started for most students 
is
getting an editor working for them.    And they don't even have to set up a 
working
NetBSD box!   I've already done that for them.

I support the addition of ee to base.

--Phil


-- 
Phil Nelson (phil at cs.wwu.edu) http://www.cs.wwu.edu/nelson
NetBSD: http://www.NetBSD.org  Coda: http://www.coda.cs.cmu.edu

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