Date : Sun, 18 Jun 1989 08:27:37 GMT
From : morris@jade.Berkeley.EDU (Mike Morris)
Subject: What are recommended programming editors for cp/m
In article <8906140701.AA06420@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU> RALPH@UHHEPG.BITNET writes:
>Date: 12-JUN-1989 14:25:58.83
>From: Ralph Becker-Szendy RALPH AT UHHEPG
>To: GATEWAY::"Info-CPM@wsmr-simtel20.army.mil"
>Subj: What are recommended programming editors for cp/m
>
>Now a "loaded" question, which will probably start another "what is your
>favourite ..." war:
>
>WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE PROGRAMMING EDITOR UNDER CP/M ?
>
>A few remarks. I am specifically looking for a programming editor, not a
>word processor. I know the following:
>
>- WordStar V3.3, in use every day, but it is slow and stupid,
>- WordStar V4, I heard a lot about it and should finally get it, but it
> is probably hardly better than V3.3 when it comes to
> programming.
Even Micropro was flabbergasted by the response to the CP/M version of
WS4 - over 10,000 copies sold in the first few months. even with the
major bug in the ZCPR install code.
>- Express V1 (available from SIMTEL) Very powerfull, extremely
> configurable. But: Limited to files which fit in memory, a lot
> of the good features are missing. According to the documentation
> V2 (which supposedly has all the good stuff in it) should be
> available from TCI, 17733 205th Avenue, Woodinville, WA 98072;
> but that place doesn't seem to exist any longer (no phone
> number). Does anyone know what happened to them ? I would get
> Express V2 immediately !
>- VEDIT Plus, supposedly avaliable from CompuView, 1955 Pauline BLvd,
> Ann Arbor, MI 48103, (313)996-1299. Supposedly supports
> multi-window and files of any size. I only have a sales flier
> for their Mess-Dos version. Is the cp/m version still available?
> Is it any good ?
I used to use an old VEDIT (plain vanilla) CP/M daily. I like it - but there
are a few things I would have done differently. One thing I _really like_ - it
is TOTALLY programmable as to the function keys. ANYTHING can be put
ANYWHERE. You can have a wordstar-style layout, as I started with, or
make it like TECO. I used an ADM-42 terminal for a while, which has over
16 function keys, shiftable to 32, in addition to control keys. My
VEDIT installation was very wordstar-ish, but with several things on
function keys for one key stroke.
BTW many things in VEDIT can have an alias - to block a paragraph I used
^KB and ^KK, aliased with F3 and F4. My roommate disn't use VEDIT enough
so he used ^KB and ^KK, I used F3 and F4.
I'd still use it if the ADM-42 hadn't died. I acquired a Televideo 970,
and couldn't find the original VEDIT disk to regen it for ANSI.
(PS - anybody have a user/programmer manual for a TVI 970? HELP!)
VEDIT MS-DOS is still available, I would imagine that CP/M would
still be available, even if it's not advertised.
The last ad I saw was in the Sept/Oct '87 issue of Micro-Cornucopia, and listed
Ver 1.40 $49 (single file, no windows)
2.32 $79 (multi-file, no windows)
2.33 $95 (multi-file, windows)
With a free fully functional demo disk that can even edit small files,
it would seem to be a deal. The address and phone number you list is current.
>- ME, which comes with the FTL Modula 2 compiler. Supports multi-window
> editing, but is limited to editing in memory. Many features
> usefull for general editing are missing, and it is awfully slow.
>
So extend it? ;) (just kidding)
>In particular, I would love to have a multi-window (at least two)
>editor, it makes life so much easier. Editing in memory is hardly
>acceptable. Also, it should be adaptable to ANSI (or DEC) terminals
>(which have some awfull escape sequences). In particular, it should (if
>possible) make use of the "restricted scroll area" feature of ANSI
>terminals when windowing (since windowing with delete line / insert line
>escape sequences is just too slow).
>
>By the way ... I guess for word-processing WS V4 is unbeatable. How does
>WRITE (supposedly available from Workman & Associates) compare to WS V4?
I have WRITE - and was talking to alex at W&A just a couple of days ago.
It is a LOUSY programming editor. It was written by Tony Petisch to
Jerry Pournelle's and Larry Niven's specifications to be what is is
fantastic for: generating text to be printed in 8.5 by 11.0" form,
68 columns per line, between wide left and right margins.
WRITE has pretty much stagnated since Jerry Pournelle stopped giving it
free plugs in BYTE and INFOWORLD, and most professional writers (the main
audience) switched to MuShy-DOS.
BTW Alex Pournelle works at W&A and can be reached at cit-vax!dstar!alex
As far as I know, WRITE hasn't been touched in years.
PS - the FTL Modula editor you mention above - ME - is also from W&A.
They have a BBS oriented to W&A products at 818-791-1013,
voice on 818-791-7979.
>Go ahead ... flame each other about your favourite editor ... make my
>day! I will just sit here, listen to all of it, and make up my mind (or
>not).
You haven't mentioned VDE - it's on most Z-nodes, probably on SIMTEL.
I've seen flame wars from WS-lovers and VDE-lovers, and while I've never
tried VDE, I gather that it's just as flexible, and faster than WS 3.3
I'd be interested in the results of your observations.
US Snail: Mike Morris UUCP: Morris@Jade.JPL.NASA.gov
P.O. Box 1130 Also: WA6ILQ
Arcadia, Ca. 91006-1130
#Include disclaimer.standard | The opinions above probably do not even