[mdlug] Linux Text Editors -- Try Cooledit

[Jay]

Greetings fellow MDLUGers,
    When I was teaching UNIX/Linus System Administration classes at 
Washtenaw Community College I made my students learn to use VI/VIM.  They 
had to learn the basics needed to open, edit, and save files.

    The reason was that EVERY UNIX/Linux distro included VI (or VIM).  You 
could install and start up a new installation, and any config files that 
needed modification could be done *without* having to have an Internet 
connection nor install some third-party program.  VI was there and it just 
works!

    The other benefit was that VI/VIM works well over limited bandwidth 
when logging in over a 300 baud dialup or across a very congested network. 
It even runs well (and has a VERY small memory footprint) on a machine 
that is running at 100% CPU load and/or little or no Swap space.  VI also 
lets you perform complex edits with a single command at the : command 
prompt.

    For a SysAdmin, having a text editor that is always there, has 
consistant commands no matter how OLD or NEW the distro, and is efficient 
enough to run under extreme conditions, is very important when managing 
many remote servers across networks..

    I'll admit being biased as I've been using VI/VIM since the Yggdrasil 
days of Linux and use it for EVERYTHING.  I use it daily, and at 65 years 
old I'm *not* keen on learning the new-and-improved next flash in the pan! 
I've seen favorite editors come and go, yet VI/VIM is still there and it 
still works fine.  But I'm willing to listen to what the world has to 
offer - but don't anticipate that I'll change my ways :)  YMMV

    Just sayin'.... (wry grin)

       --- Jay  WB8TKL

BTW - I still write web pages using VI and hand coded HTML.



On Thu, 5 Jan 2023, LAP wrote:

> On Wed, 4 Jan 2023 21:03:50 -0500 (EST)
> Michael Corral <micorral at comcast.net> wrote:
>
>> it still looks like the same 90s-era fvwm-ish
>> application it's always been
>>
>
> Cooledit is derived from the mcedit internal text
> editor of the Midnight Commander file manager+:
>
> https://midnight-commander.org/
>
> If one is ruled by fashion and social facilitation
> then I suppose that arguments that adduce such meaningless
> jargon like "90s-era" and "retro" will persuade others
> of like mind to automatically reject.
>
> But the rational person will take a more objective approach.
>
>>
>> I haven't seen anything Cooledit can do that Emacs can't,
>> and there's plenty that Emacs can do that Cooledit can't.
>>
>
> Except provide a GUI that frees the user from having to be
> enslaved by keyboard strokes.
>
> But isn't Emacs the ultimate example of a throwback to a
> bygone era?
>
>
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