[FLAME] using editors = muscle memory [WAS: Re: Full-screen editor in /bin]

[marshal@h9.dion.ne.jp]

>>>>> "Chris" == Chris Kenrick <chrisk@aurema.com> writes:

    Chris> On Wed, Jul 31, 2002 at 12:18:12PM +1000, CaT wrote:
    >> On Tue, Jul 30, 2002 at 10:13:24PM -0400, Patrick Wiseman wrote:
    >> > On Tue, 30 Jul 2002, ben wrote:
    >> > 
    >> > > for *nix-based editors, nothing works for me like vi,
    >> particularly > > because of the fact that a whole lot of vi is
    >> invoked in exactly the > > same way as a whole bunch of
    >> everything else in *nix. it's minimal, > > the learning time is
    >> almost nothing, and the thing has all the power > > (and more)
    >> that i ever need.
    >> > 
    >> > Well, vi has struck me as perversely obscure, too, but since
    >> you and a > couple of others (offlist) have suggested I give
    >> _it_ another try, I > shall.

    Chris> Yeah, vi starts off seeming pretty weird, but grows on you.
    Chris> I fairly much settled on vi since pretty much any Unix or
    Chris> Unix like box has a copy installed by default.  emacs seems
    Chris> similarly unintuitive, but can do just about anything you
    Chris> want once you know how.

This is getting into a emacs vs vi flame-fest, so it's time to start
the BBQ.  ^_^

Actually, I think it all boils down to muscle memory.  I say very few
things in computers are "intuitive".  "Intuitivity" in computer-human
interface hasn't gotten very far (or is a whole load of crock,
depending on how you look at it.)  People use things that they are
used to.  Once the learning curve is over, they just stick to it.

Why do you think so many people use windows?  It's because it's
familiar and the don't have a learn a whole bunch of stuff over
again.  I have a friend who programs in MS Win.  He was helping my dad
out with using Chinese Windows 2000.  He can't read chinese, but it he
just knows where everything is.  It kinda scared him...

In the same way, I find emacs fairly easy to use.  If I don't know the
keystrokes to something, it's a M-x <relatively straight forwardly
named function>.  

I can use vi without looking at a reference sheet.  And I have gone
throught the vi tutorial.  (Which is really helpful to get you
started).  But I just don't use it enough for me to warrent learning
it.  Give me access to a box where the only editor was vi, and I bet
I'd learn it pretty fast.  ^_^

Anyways, lets take this off the list, and keep the signal to noise
ratio up, and keep some people with low bandwidth happy.

<abestos suit on>

Marshal