[PLUG] mandrake to slackware

[AthlonRob]

On Fri, 19 Jul 2002 13:29:24 -0700 (PDT)
"Paul Heinlein" <heinlein at attbi.com> wrote:

> On Fri, 19 Jul 2002, AthlonRob wrote:
> 
> > If you don't currently know how to use any command-line editors (a
> > must in Slackware) you'll want to find one that works.
> 
> It's probably a must for every Linux distribution on the planet. GUI 
> tools will (sometimes) do the right thing for some basic system 
> configuration files, but sooner or later -- probably sooner -- a Linux
> user will need a text editor.

I agree with ya there.  However, a lot of linux users have gone a long
time without ever seeing one.  I have one friend who plays with Linux
from time to time (RH, Mandrake, and some of the less popular
Mandrake-like clones... Lycoris and the like) and has *never* used a
command line editor.

Mandrake sets up X for you, so you really could get by without a command
line editoor until it breaks.  lol  :-)
 
> Rob's suggestion of pico is good, but if you edit config files, make 
> sure you do 'pico -w' to disable word wrapping.

Excellent idea.  I had to work around that darned wordwrapping a few
times.

> Every editor has its proponents -- vi, emacs, joe, &c. In fact, 
> choosing among them is the basic Unix flame war (now that SysV v. BSD 
> is dead :-).

So says you!  Every now and then you'll get a SysV vs BSD thread going
somewhere in usenet... I've seen a few in alt.os.linux.slackware! 
(regarding the startup process)

> There's something to be said, however, for learning at least basic
> editing with vi. It's shipped with every Linux distro and Unix
> variation on the planet. It may not be your Favorite Editor; it may be
> nothing but your editor of Last Resort, but it'll be on the system.

And you can't spell evil without vi.  <g>

> A basic, no-frills Debian system includes vi (actually nvi via a 
> symlink), but no emacs or pico. Same thing with Red Hat and, 
> evidently, Slackware.

Yeah, I tried to use debian as a bootstrap for the creation of LFS.  I
was kinda shocked at the way it worked.  Totally different, from install
to use.

I ended up grabbing nano.  A Pico clone that's even easier to use (and
compile).  :-)

> Like it or not, it's pretty senseless not to know it at some level.

Rob