Newsgroups: comp.editors
Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!news-server.ecf!ecf!xiaoy
From: xiaoy@ecf.toronto.edu (XIAO  Yan)
Subject: Re: One user's editor wish list
Message-ID: <1991Mar6.062721.10365@ecf.utoronto.ca>
Sender: news@ecf.utoronto.ca (News Administrator)
Organization: University of Toronto, Engineering Computing Facility
References: <13O9MVA@xds13.ferranti.com> <1991Mar4.085038.4092@hollie.rdg.dec.com> <1159@grit.cs.utexas.edu>
Date: Wed, 6 Mar 91 06:27:21 GMT

>
>While I regard CTRL, ALT, and META as being part of the keyboard, I have two
>problems with using them for command sequences.  One is that ALT and META are
>non-standard - not all terminals have them, and those that do handle them in
>different ways.  ESC can be used instead; however, you can't use ESC like a
>normal shift/control key, because it sends its ASCII sequence once - i.e., you
>can't send ESCxESCc by holding down ESC and pressing xc.  You must press the
>ESC key twice.
>
>My main problem, though, with non-modal editors (emacs in specific) is that, as
>oyu said, I just don't like holding down a key while I type something else.  If
>I need to perform several editing commands without any interspersed text entry,
>I don't want to have to press ESC, META, ALT, or CONTROL for every command (or
>several times per command, as is oft the case with emacs).  That's why I like
>vi - the most useful editing commands are a single keystroke, with no extra
>modifier keys.  Hitting ESC to get into command mode and pressing one of
>"acios" to get back into insert mode, is, in my estimation, more
>keystroke-efficient than pressing ctrl or meta (or both) for every editing
>command.

As one of vi-lover, I would see someday that mouse can be added in to 
perform some task, like cut/paste.  Maybe this is too hardware-specific.
Of course I am not working with console all the time, but sometimes when
you are with console....

Xiao
