[Eug-lug] Computer time

[Allen Brown]

On Mon, 17 Jan 2005, Bob Miller wrote:

> walter fry wrote:
> 
> > Ifound the cat command     now how do I change arc from true to 
> > false....Please
> 
> Use a text editor.  Linux has 70 or 80 text editors to choose from.  I
> think I recall that you're using a GUI, so try kedit or gedit.
> 
> 	kedit /etc/sysconfig/clock
> 
> If you're not using a GUI, try nano, vi or emacs.
> -- 
> Bob Miller                              K<bob>

I recommend that you learn one of the real editors, one that doesn't
require a GUI.  Otherwise if you find you have to do repairs from
outside of X windows, you will be SOL.

The top contenders are vi and emacs.  Both are very powerful and
both are used by real programmers.  Both are commonly installed on
most Unix systems.  Both are backed by fanatics with religious zeal.
Both have a long history.

emacs
  + Basically Modeless.  Ordinary characters are always inserted.
  - Complex.  And very large.
  + Totally programmable and reconfigurable.
  - Harder on your fingers because of all the control characters
    you have to type.  Avoid emacs if you have carpal tunnel.
  + If you are merging the contents of several files into one,
    emacs is hard to beat.
vi
  + Almost everything can be done with one finger.
  - You have to remember if you are in insert mode, overwrite mode,
    command mode.
  + Small and fast.
  + Because it avoids control characters it tends to be more
    compatible with serial port protocols.

Now that the subject is presented, I'm sure several people will
try to turn this into a religious arguement about why their choice
is the only choice.  It happens every time both editors are mentioned.
--
Allen Brown
  work: Agilent Technologies      non-work: http://www.peak.org/~abrown/
        allen_brown at agilent.com             abrown at peak.org
  No folly is more costly than the folly of intolerant idealism.
  --- Sir Winston Churchill