VI(M)-EMACS-Nano-Xed and others which one?

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MurphCID
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VI(M)-EMACS-Nano-Xed and others which one?

Post by MurphCID »

I have noticed that there are a lot of text editors out there. Nano seems to come with most flavors of Ubuntu/Mint maybe Debian. I like it since it reminds me of Wordstar. However Xed is pretty nice as well and is graphical to boot. Emacs is just too odd for me, I know it is ultra powerful, but at what though? VI(m) is one of those programs that you wonder what they were thinking, in that you have to change modes. So if you are going to code or even just text edit stuff which one do you use?

I find myself using either XED or Nano for minor text editing issues, nothing more powerful. So what is the board's consensus on Text editors?
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Re: VI(M)-EMACS-Nano-Xed and others which one?

Post by JoeFootball »

MurphCID wrote: VI(m) is one of those programs that you wonder what they were thinking ...
I thought the same, until I witnessed someone truly proficient with vim at work. In the hands of those so skilled, it's quite impressive.
MurphCID wrote: So what is the board's consensus on Text editors?
A text editor consensus? :lol: Speaking for myself, I use nano, xed (or whatever the default editor at hand is), or Geany (which is technically an IDE, but it's so light, if I have it up, it's my go-to).
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Re: VI(M)-EMACS-Nano-Xed and others which one?

Post by MurphCID »

I will take your word for it, but it still seems odd to have two modes to do anything. So 1970’s.
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Re: VI(M)-EMACS-Nano-Xed and others which one?

Post by JoeFootball »

MurphCID wrote: So 1970’s.
Given its origins of that era, you're correct. :) But it's the ability to switch to this command mode which makes it so powerful in the hands of an expert. And I concede that I am not one.

I'm college, I was dismissive of vi, until I saw it being used proper. When I did, I was thinking, "Why would you ever... I don't see... If... But... You... Oh."
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Re: VI(M)-EMACS-Nano-Xed and others which one?

Post by MurphCID »

JoeFootball wrote: Sat Apr 03, 2021 8:17 am
MurphCID wrote: So 1970’s.
Given its origins of that era, you're correct. :) But it's the ability to switch to this command mode which makes it so powerful in the hands of an expert. And I concede that I am not one.

I'm college, I was dismissive of vi, until I saw it being used proper. When I did, I was thinking, "Why would you ever... I don't see... If... But... You... Oh."
Point, I just have never had to use it, or seem anyone using it.
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Re: VI(M)-EMACS-Nano-Xed and others which one?

Post by JoeFootball »

MurphCID wrote: Point, I just have never had to use it, or seem anyone using it.
And thus, you are quite understandably as I was. Why anyone in their right mind would use such arcane and clumsy methods, when nano and others are readily available. :)
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Re: VI(M)-EMACS-Nano-Xed and others which one?

Post by MurphCID »

JoeFootball wrote: Sat Apr 03, 2021 9:31 am
MurphCID wrote: Point, I just have never had to use it, or seem anyone using it.
And thus, you are quite understandably as I was. Why anyone in their right mind would use such arcane and clumsy methods, when nano and others are readily available. :)
Agreed, Nano seems (at least to me) to be able to do anything that VI(M) does, and with less mental gymnastics. I am still somewhat afraid of the power of EMACS since I am concerned that I might create the next HAL 9000 accidentally using it.... :)
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Re: VI(M)-EMACS-Nano-Xed and others which one?

Post by t42 »

Kate is as simple or as versatile as you want it to be. I use it since Kate appimage allows not to pull of all the kde stuff.
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Re: VI(M)-EMACS-Nano-Xed and others which one?

Post by bertradio »

Definitely check out Geany. It's very powerful and fast. I use it mostly for quick edits of text files but when I need more features and power they are there.

Geany has one feature I really like: you can customize the insert date function to get it in the format you want. I use a text file to track changes in my system. I have assigned insert date to a key (F7) and it's very convenient for logging. So if I hit F7 I get "Sat 04/03/21 - 08:46: Linux - "
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Re: VI(M)-EMACS-Nano-Xed and others which one?

Post by Portreve »

I don't think programs such as emacs or vi should be grouped together with programs like nano, etc. They are really intended for producing things far beyond mere basic text editing chores.

When I do an initial setup of LM, I follow Pjotr's instructions using nano. If I'm doing terminal things, it yields the fastest and most efficiently integrated workflow product, period. If I otherwise have need to use a text editor, which in my case would strictly be within the confines of the GUI, I use the one supplied with LM, for the same kind of reason I use nano. And in the case of the LM Text Editor program, it combines exactly those word processor functions I need with a very clean text editing program.

If I want formatting in my text document, I'll happily use LO Writer.
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Re: VI(M)-EMACS-Nano-Xed and others which one?

Post by Flemur »

MurphCID wrote: Fri Apr 02, 2021 7:17 pmVI(m) is one of those programs that you wonder what they were thinking, in that you have to change modes.
Wonder no longer. vi was originally made to run on minimal consoles with no GUI. It's my main editor.
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Re: VI(M)-EMACS-Nano-Xed and others which one?

Post by JosephM »

You will never reach a consensus on this one. Why do you think there are so many? :D Since I use my text editor a lot for coding, I actually go with Sublime. It's always been super stable and fast.
When I give opinions, they are my own. Not necessarily those of any other Linux Mint developer or the Linux Mint project as a whole.
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Re: VI(M)-EMACS-Nano-Xed and others which one?

Post by Portreve »

JosephM wrote: Mon Apr 05, 2021 12:03 pm You will never reach a consensus on this one. Why do you think there are so many? :D Since I use my text editor a lot for coding, I actually go with Sublime. It's always been super stable and fast.
MurphCID wrote: Fri Apr 02, 2021 7:17 pm So if you are going to code or even just text edit stuff which one do you use?
The problem here is I think we're all talking past each other.

Using a text editor to edit text isn't the same thing as using a text editor to write code, and so conflating these two things leads to misleading responses and answers.

If I were into writing code, it is unlikely I'd use nano for that purpose, even if I would still use it for doing just straight-up text editing. It is far more likely that I would use either emacs or vi or, in principle, another similar program.
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Re: VI(M)-EMACS-Nano-Xed and others which one?

Post by AndyMH »

Writing code, I'd want an IDE, halfway house, bluefish, most of the time just xed. Did used to use gedit and then decided I preferred xed.
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Re: VI(M)-EMACS-Nano-Xed and others which one?

Post by TheOmniad-2020 »

Emacs + EXWM = the only way to go.
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Re: VI(M)-EMACS-Nano-Xed and others which one?

Post by MurphCID »

For me, Xed, or Nano is are the best. I don't do any coding, or serious work, so the basic text editors work for me.
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Re: VI(M)-EMACS-Nano-Xed and others which one?

Post by mikeflan »

90% - xed
Open a small side window just for separate viewing - gedit
Coding - Geany
Another coding alternative I don't use much - Atom
Big files - Leafpad
Not too bad, but I don't use it - jedit
Vim - I tried, but too hard for what I want
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Re: VI(M)-EMACS-Nano-Xed and others which one?

Post by MurphCID »

Is there a handy VI(M) guide on the keyboard commands usable by a complete noob?
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Re: VI(M)-EMACS-Nano-Xed and others which one?

Post by t42 »

MurphCID wrote: Fri Jul 02, 2021 8:50 pm Is there a handy VI(M) guide on the keyboard commands usable by a complete noob?
Vim Cheat Sheet
Vim cheatsheet
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Re: VI(M)-EMACS-Nano-Xed and others which one?

Post by dottomato »

I installed mint recently and I am fine with writing some stuff in Xed, I write my markdown notes in it. I don't claim to be a power-vim user but I have mostly opened it to write some dirty code and test it. I have never used emacs in my life till now so I can't say anything about it. And I prefer working with VSCode whenever I do some projects (don't want to spend endless time configuring vim :|)
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