Fedora Developers Looking To Change The Default Text Editor From Vi To Nano

[Mario Junior]

Nano just werks! I agree with this change.

[ermo]

I answered 'other'. Not because I don't avail myself of (Neo)Vi(m) and emacs, but because I have decided to use SpaceVim and Spacemacs for familiarity's sake whenever I *do* use NeoVim and emacs.

Additionally, I honestly think that kakoune is simply a better expression of the modal editor concept than (Neo)Vim is and I encourage those who are curious to take a look at the "Why kakoune" sales pitch by the main kakoune author.

To those using Spacemacs/SpaceVim whose appetite has been whetted, it is also possible to configure kakoune to use SPACE as a leader key to get to the ':' prompt with two taps on the SPACE key like in Spacemacs -- simply add the following to your ~/.config/kak/kakrc file:

# Leader key a la Spacemacs
# The effect of this is that the first <space> when in normal mode yields user mode
# (mapped to ',' by default when in normal mode)
map global normal <space> , -docstring 'leader'

# ... while the second <space> (now in user mode) yields prompt mode
# (mapped to ':' by default in normal mode)
map global user <space> : -docstring 'prompt'

# Ensure that the new mapping of <space> doesn't interfere with clearing selections
# In normal mode, <backspace> now removes all selections except main
map global normal <backspace> <space> -docstring 'remove all selections except main'

# ... while <alt>+<backspace> removes the main selection
map global normal <a-backspace> <a-space> -docstring 'remove main selection'

Oh and I think Fedora switching to nano as the default text editor is a wise move which is long overdue.

As has already been mentioned here, nano is easily discoverable and also supports e.g. syntax highlighting via an easily understood configuration file.

For users who have never been exposed to the Vi-like modal editing concept, nano is simply the least confusing default choice.

P.S. If Fedora ends up making this change, I think adding a /usr/bin/edit symlink that points to nano would be a nice gesture. After all "edit <somefile>" is a tad more intuitive than "nano <somefile>" isn't it?

[L_A_G]

...

Everything is relative and that includes intuitiveness of software. If you have to look up basic things like how to start editing a file, how to save a file and even how to exit the application rather than it being obvious as a glance it's very clear that we're not talking about anything that can be described as intuitive or easy to use by any sane definition. Basic actions like that really should be obvious even for a terminal application.

As for old people, using them is a straw man because for most old people learning anything new, regardless of how simple it is, will be difficult.

[tildearrow]

I mean, it's just a package install (and it might just as well be shipped by default too) and one bashrc variable away.

...what if I have no Internet connection and need my Vim?

[George99]

I hate nano with passion, and everything is painful to do in it.

Both nano and vim are a pain to use compared with a modern GUI editor like gedit but at least nano shows how to exit so it's less evil than vi.

[swagg_boi]

ed is the standard Unix editor

[betam4x]

...what if I have no Internet connection and need my Vim?

IIRC vim doesn't ship as the default editor on any distro as far as I am aware. You are probably thinking of 'vi', vim's bastard cousin. The 'vi' command will likely continue to be included for compatibility reasons, the EDITOR variable will probably be changed (and can be changed back just as easily). Barring that, as long as you have packages cached offline in some form (ISO, CD, USB stick) you should be able to install it just fine. However, I've never had a use case like this. Even on long haul flights I've had the option for internet.

EDIT: Also, I usually prepare for flights, I generally don't run into situations where I need to install a package.

[Candy]

Please use a gender neutral editor.

[ssokolow]

Additionally, I honestly think that kakoune is simply a better expression of the modal editor concept than (Neo)Vim is and I encourage those who are curious to take a look at the "Why kakoune" sales pitch by the main kakoune author.

Thanks for that. While I don't currently have anywhere near the willpower to switch editors, I love what's being said there.

[cynical]

Everything is relative and that includes intuitiveness of software. If you have to look up basic things like how to start editing a file, how to save a file and even how to exit the application rather than it being obvious as a glance it's very clear that we're not talking about anything that can be described as intuitive or easy to use by any sane definition. Basic actions like that really should be obvious even for a terminal application.

As for old people, using them is a straw man because for most old people learning anything new, regardless of how simple it is, will be difficult.

Oh that's funny. You think using menus is intuitive? Nope, it just feels that way because you learned how to use them a long time ago and don't have to think about it anymore, and because they are found on nearly every UI that exists today. What you mean is that using menus is familiar to you.

As an example, I find Gnome and its relative lack of menus comfortable and "intuitive", though many would complain that it is confusing because the usual menus aren't there. What they really mean is that it is different and unfamiliar, and they don't know how to navigate the new interface.

And no it is not a strawman. Learning anything new is difficult. It's only more difficult for older people because they have preconceptions about how things should work. Their "intuition" hasn't been calibrated around computers since they were children like people who grow up today.