ThingsIdLikeToSee

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Difference (from prior major revision) (minor diff, author diff)

Changed: 37c37,38

A guide to placing a particular editor in an editor family? E.g., I don't know whether TextPad belongs in the WordStarFamily, CuaFamily, etc.

A guide to placing a particular editor in an editor family? E.g., I don't know whether TextPad belongs in the WordStarFamily, CuaFamily, etc.
Why should an editor only be in one family? It may qualify for more than one. I've been placing additions in multiple families, if merited. --DMcCunney

Changed: 39c40

''Why should an editor only be in one family? It may qualify for more than one. I've been placing additions in multiple families, if merited. --DMcCunney

A distinctive logo, rather than the generic "UseMod" one. (How about something in a nice Courier font?)

Changed: 41c42

A distinctive logo, rather than the generic "UseMod" one. (How about something in a nice Courier font?)

TextFormattingRules.

Changed: 43c44,45

TextFormattingRules.

Are all the word processors mentioned in this article also mentioned here at TextEditors ?
"Wrapping Up and Picking a Winner" article by Brian Proffitt 2001-11-30 http://www.linuxplanet.com/linuxplanet/print/3928/

Changed: 45,48c47

Are all the word processors mentioned in this article also mentioned here at TextEditors ?
"Wrapping Up and Picking a Winner"
article by Brian Proffitt 2001-11-30
http://www.linuxplanet.com/linuxplanet/print/3928/

"The Year In Review: LinuxPlanet?'s Picks for the Best and Worst of 2001: Favorite Text Editor/Word? Processor" article by Michael Hall http://www.linuxplanet.com/linuxplanet/reviews/3979/4/

Changed: 50,57c49

"The Year In Review: LinuxPlanet?'s Picks for the Best and Worst of 2001:
Favorite Text Editor/Word? Processor" article by Michael Hall
http://www.linuxplanet.com/linuxplanet/reviews/3979/4/

http://www.ug.cs.sunysb.edu/~stark/cgi-bin/freebsd-cvs.cgi/ports/editors

http://www.ug.cs.sunysb.edu/~stark/cgi-bin/freebsd-cvs.cgi/ports/editors

Changed: 63c55

to link back here to TextEditors ?

to link back here to TextEditors?

Changed: 66,67c58

A reverse feature guide -- it would be nifty to be able to find all text editors that have a given feature. (We could use something like the WikiWikiWeb?'s categories, with each feature being its own category.)

Changed: 71c62

* Presently, editors are classified into overlapping familys using the following criteria:

* Presently, editors are classified into overlapping families using the following criteria:

Changed: 79c70

:Have you thought about extending these criteria to allow more flexible searches and matches for particular features? Two possible ways of doing so are:

:Have you thought about extending these criteria to allow more flexible searches and matches for particular features? Two possible ways of doing so are:

Removed: 89,90d79

Changed: 93,103c82

a windows/linux cross-platform category
would save time looking at each editor to see if it is cross-platform

a ColumnMode Feature (a la UltraEdit) category
i've been using UltraEdit for years just for this feature. a HUGE timesaver.
TextPad has it too.
i haven't found a Linux editor that will do this. is there one? -- VIM does it, use Visual mode.
if not, maybe this category would help spark it's inclusion on other editors.

I just found this VIM tidbit: http://vim.wikia.com/wiki/Inserting_text_in_multiple_lines
can't quite get it to work, but it sounds like it should be similar to UltraEdit

*A windows/linux cross-platform category would save time looking at each editor to see if it is cross-platform

Changed: 105c84,91

Also, crimson has this feature.

*A ColumnMode Feature (a la UltraEdit) category.
:I've been using UltraEdit for years just for this feature. a HUGE timesaver. TextPad has it too.
:I haven't found a Linux editor that will do this. Is there one?
::VIM does it, use Visual mode.
::X2 does.
:If not, maybe this category would help spark it's inclusion on other editors.
:I just found this VIM tidbit: http://vim.wikia.com/wiki/Inserting_text_in_multiple_lines. Can't quite get it to work, but it sounds like it should be similar to UltraEdit
:Also, crimson has this feature.

Changed: 107,108c93,94

I'm thinking of switching to the MediaWiki? software used by WikiPedia?.org -- any feedback? -- RonPerrella
You need something to combat the spamlinks. I just fixed the ones that zapped the HomePage, and MediaWiki? at least gives you more control on who can edit pages -- SeanDwyer

I'm thinking of switching to the MediaWiki software used by WikiPedia.org; any feedback? -- RonPerrella
You need something to combat the spamlinks. I just fixed the ones that zapped the HomePage, and MediaWiki? at least gives you more control on who can edit pages -- SeanDwyer

Added: 111a98,99

Added: 112a101,102

:Hear, hear! A section pointing to articles, tutorials and examples of code for ultra-basic text editors would be wonderful. It almost seems like writing text editors is a close-held secret.
:Just found DesigningTextEditors. --JLTurriff

Changed: 114c104

: Hear, hear! A section pointing to articles, tutorials and examples of code for ultra-basic text editors would be wonderful. --JLTurriff

Changed: 184c174

I see links to pages describing a few OSs and macro languages, but there doesn't seem to be index pages for those. They seem to be sort of off-topic, but could be viewed as useful background references. Is it okay for me to add those two indexes to the home page, for contributors to fill out, or is that getting too far away from this Wiki's purposes? --JLTurriff

How about a page where you can simply list a text editor (name + link) which isn't in the index yet but that you don't have time for to add yourself? Example:

bbNote - Editor for Blackbox for Windows - http://bb4win.sourceforge.net/bblean/bbno.htm

Any progress on the new Wiki -- AnonymousTXT?

I've found a bunch of Teletext editor, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teletext - should these be added. If so, as SpecializedFamily or as a new TeletextFamily?? -- AnonymousTXT?

: Good question. How do these work? As far as I'm concerned, a text editor is used to produce a file on a system. The system may be the user's, or may be a server (as in the web based editors sometimes used for HTML development.) I don't think I'd count an editor that let you participate in some sort of web service (like the message editors on BBS forums) as something to list here. --DMcCunney

: If you would like to try one just unzip http://www.cebra.dk/inserter/edit.zip and run the exe (no install required) it looks a bit like a crude drawing program but you can of course type text, if you save a file you can see the text with a hexviewer/edit. The oldest one I found is a BBC Teletext Editor. I'd say it is more or less similar to the ansi-draw programs. I think in the end I may be able to find 10 or so (currently have 5 plus a few links to check) so there won't be many. As a side note, perhaps restructure the SpecializedFamily page with a few subheadings like 8bitMicroFamily - One category could be the ansi/ascii draw programs listed already there - of course it might be a bit arbitrary -- AnonymousTXT?

: I'll take a look. I'm disinclined to restructure the SpecializedFamily, though there may be things there that should be elsewhere, like a new family for ASCII/ANSI art programs. I'd really rather not go to families within families. And at some point, the wiki will be migrating anyway - Ron and I are working with a new wiki package that will provide a lot more capability than the current Perl based setup.

: Incidentally, don't worry about things like Essay Writers. The wiki was designed by the author to make it difficult to remove pages for philosophical reasons. As long as the page has no links to it, I don't worry. Down the road it will be possible to block spammers from posting at all.

How about adding a Calculator text editor category? Examples http://www.hpcalc.org/hp48/apps/editors/ and http://www.ticalc.org/pub/83plus/flash/programs/ -- AnonymousTXT?

: Done! --DMcCunney

Should we add a section for HTML Editors? --EricPement I did. --DMcCunney

A polling/survey system by users.

A better color scheme for the site. This one sucks.

VeditEditor? EpsilonEditor? Scintilla reviews

I'd also like to see some historical info on text editors for ancient systems such as SCOPE, PRIMOs or NOS.

-- RonPerrella

: Here is some historical info on Word Processors & text editors: http://newark.rutgers.edu/~ehrlich/orange/0147.html (ENP)

A guide to placing a particular editor in an editor family? E.g., I don't know whether TextPad belongs in the WordStarFamily, CuaFamily, etc. Why should an editor only be in one family? It may qualify for more than one. I've been placing additions in multiple families, if merited. --DMcCunney

A distinctive logo, rather than the generic "UseMod" one. (How about something in a nice Courier font?)

TextFormattingRules.

Are all the word processors mentioned in this article also mentioned here at TextEditors ? "Wrapping Up and Picking a Winner" article by Brian Proffitt 2001-11-30 http://www.linuxplanet.com/linuxplanet/print/3928/

"The Year In Review: LinuxPlanet?'s Picks for the Best and Worst of 2001: Favorite Text Editor/Word? Processor" article by Michael Hall http://www.linuxplanet.com/linuxplanet/reviews/3979/4/

http://www.ug.cs.sunysb.edu/~stark/cgi-bin/freebsd-cvs.cgi/ports/editors

Wouldn't it be cool to get

to link back here to TextEditors?

: Well, http://dmoz.org/Computers/Software/Editors/ does... :-) --DMcCunney 07/16/09

: I strongly support providing a feature look-up feature ;-). Below, I'm just moving here (but better formatted) a suggestion I first made, mistakenly, on the FAQ page:

Presently, editors are classified into overlapping families using the following criteria:
- platform
- operating system
- implementation language (i.e. source language)
- content edited (i.e. target content specialty)
- ancestor and
- type.

: Have you thought about extending these criteria to allow more flexible searches and matches for particular features? Two possible ways of doing so are:

letting users add arbitrary (implicitly defined) tags, and
adding features from a reference list, each with an explicit definition e.g.

syntax highlighting
text folding
block (column) editing

: --YahyaAA

Great suggestions.

A windows/linux cross-platform category would save time looking at each editor to see if it is cross-platform

A ColumnMode Feature (a la UltraEdit) category.

I've been using UltraEdit for years just for this feature. a HUGE timesaver. TextPad has it too.

I haven't found a Linux editor that will do this. Is there one?

: VIM does it, use Visual mode.
: X2 does.

If not, maybe this category would help spark it's inclusion on other editors.

I just found this VIM tidbit: http://vim.wikia.com/wiki/Inserting_text_in_multiple_lines. Can't quite get it to work, but it sounds like it should be similar to UltraEdit

Also, crimson has this feature.

I'm thinking of switching to the MediaWiki software used by WikiPedia.org; any feedback? -- RonPerrella You need something to combat the spamlinks. I just fixed the ones that zapped the HomePage, and MediaWiki? at least gives you more control on who can edit pages -- SeanDwyer

Sean, I've now put a system in place. Simple but effective. No spam for over a month! --RonPerrella

My feature request would be more stuff on writing the things, there's so many strategies. -- SeanDwyer

: Hear, hear! A section pointing to articles, tutorials and examples of code for ultra-basic text editors would be wonderful. It almost seems like writing text editors is a close-held secret.
: Just found DesigningTextEditors. --JLTurriff

Note from editor: A spam blocking capability has been added. -- RonPerrella

I've become interested in editor history and so on. I think it is interesting to see how many editors derived from MicroEmacs, or at least used it as a starting point. For instance: MicroGNUEmacs?, GNOME, JASSPA, JED, CRISP, VILE, ZILE, just to name a few.

Instructions on how to add an editor to the site. I have no experience whatever with a Wiki. I am trying to add this to this page, but I really don't know how to add a new page and a link. I emailed Ron Perrella with information about an editor but got no reply. -- Paul Bartlett

Paul, I received your email and have posted the editor Sled . Thanks for the info! -- RonPerrella

Here's general feedback from a first-time visitor: On behalf of my clients, who are newbie website owners and not techy at all, I'm looking for the simplest text editor that happens to have syntax highlighting and can edit via FTP. I found the page discussing 'simplest' as a method of selecting a text editor -- but then there was no discussion of which editors are simple! Suddenly, despite its plain look, this site didn't seem so simple at all. In the same vein, I find no contact link, so I'm posting here instead. Compare the usability of [Jakob Nielsen's Alertbox] (which happens to have extraordinarily useful tips on this very topic). One page here lists editors with tick marks for each vote they've received, yet the page about selecting an editor makes it clear that separate tally lists would be helpful, one for each method of evaluating editors. To sum up my impression, this site seems like a fine discussion board for established users -- fans -- of text editors, but not necessarily a useful tool for those who need help finding a suitable one and whose focus otherwise lies elsewhere. (Please forgive the picky tone. Frustration at technological roadblock -> emotionality -> poor message. I really do like the simple look here. And the tone of the writing is not bad -- I can tell you really want to provide a helpful selection tool. I hope this feedback is useful.) -- Tom H.

Tom, I'll start something along these lines. Thanks for taking the time to tell the community about your ideas - it's true, we started as an enthusiast site but there's a lot of benefit to providing some simple guidance.

I'd like to see a link to TextFormattingRules on every action=edit page. --Grai?

: That's a good idea. I don't know if it's possible. Ron? --DMcCunney

How about formatting this page so that any reader can understand the flow of each conversation? Here are some ideas:

At the very least, start each new suggestion with a new top-level bullet point -- like this one does, and as already happens on the FAQ page. (Or we could number the suggestions.)
Separate each conversation from earlier ones with a horizontal line (as I've done here).
Indent replies below the text replied to (as DMcCunney did above in reply to Grai?).
Close your suggestion with a signature (example below), including:

your UserID? and
a timestamp, consisting of:
- the date, in an unambiguous format (e.g. dd MTH ccyy), and
- the time, in 24-hour UTC format (e.g. hh:mm:ss UTC)

-- YahyaAA 24 Oct 2013 13:17:02 UTC

I'd like to have a tagging system like other wikis have. (Alternately I'd like to have the permission to use this wiki's data as a base for my own text editor wiki in German.)

: That will require new wiki software. We are pretty much at the limits of what the current software can do. (It's a perl CGI script.) Likewise, there isn't really an underlying database in something like MySQL?. There are separate pages for each editor, and the Editor Index and Family sections are all pointers to the applicable pages. I would have no problem with your using our info for a German site, and I don't think Ron Perrella would either, but it's not in a form we can give you.

: Ron and I have been talking about migrating to a new wiki platform, and there's even a test version up, but neither of us have had time to take it further. Drop me a note at dennis dot mccunney at gmail dot com, and I'll get Ron in the conversation as well. Perhaps we can help each other. -- DMcCunney 09/02/14

A minor thing in the wiki syntax: I'd like to use backquotes (ticks) `like this` to transform into inline monospace like this. This is a common feature in Markdown-based systems.

: Oh, and now I see that <tt> works inline, contrary to the TextFormattingRules page saying "HTML tags don't work"

: — KismetCow 9-Oct-2014

I couldn't find FlDev listed when I ran a search using the site's search engine and Google. There are a few versions of FlDev, but one that's still actively developed and has been tested on various platforms is at http://sourceforge.net/projects/fldev/

: Thank you for adding it. Ron Perella and I are the primary maintainers of the site, but there's no way we can know about everything. We rely on folks like yourself to help fill in the blanks.

It would be really helpful when searching for an Open Source editor to know which GUI toolkit an editor my use. For instance, FlDev uses FLTK, and SciTE uses GTK (with different versions work with GTK 1, 2 and 3).

: The question is how that might be accomplished.

In the Category Features section it mentions Text Comparison. Couldn't tell which editors offered that feature. However, it's very easy to add the feature to most extensible editors. With SciTE, I compare the text in the window I'm currently viewing with text from another named file. I use diff and diffh to create the output of the differences and have SciTE run the comparison and launch a web browser to view the output. If anyone wants the details, they can use Google and search for Scite Tips. At one point, I looked into the feasibility of doing something similar with vim and it's possible to use the same concept.

: I have Scite here, and several other editors based on the Scintilla edit control. If they are extensible, with something like Lua scripting, you can do stuff like that.

: Category Features was an early attempt at adding additional metadata about editors. The issue is doing the needed updates do that the information is there for an editor. I'd like to add more of that detail, but there are only so many hours in a day and TextEditors isn't the only demand on my time. Do feel free to add anything you think appropriate.

: -- DMcCunney

Please add TreePad?, www.treepad.com. It is a handy little tool. Also possibly FreeMind?, it organizes bits of text.

I would like to see a mailing list/forum here where we can discuss about text editors. Any questions about text editors on StackOverflow?, SuperUser?, StackExchange? or Reddit are downvoted to hell or "closed as off-topic" -- AkshayChavan