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> as the editor for those who don't know what they're doing To be honest, I do think of nano as exactly that. Let's say "the editor for newbies", which sounds
by krylon 10y ago
> as the editor for those who don't know what they're doing
To be honest, I do think of nano as exactly that. Let's say "the editor for newbies", which sounds slightly less condescending.
Being the editor for newbies is not a bad thing. There are, at any given point, many newbies who just want to make that one change to that one configuration file without learning a whole programmer's text editor. There are, by now, probably plenty of people of who use GNU/Linux just to surf the web and read their email (and run LibreOffice or GIMP), who don't ____ing care about text editors except for that one time they need to add an entry to crontab or sudoers or something.
If you have never touched vi before, its user interface at first seems like a slap in the face (to put it mildly). Having used vim as my editor of choice for a couple of years at one time, I still remember, vividly, the first time I tried to use it. It was no fun at all. The same goes for emacs (which I love dearly).
If you want to do serious programming / system administration, learning one of the advanced editors is - at the very least - good advice. But these days, such people are probably in the minority, even on GNU/Linux. And having an editor the rest of the population can use without requiring a Ph.D. in emacsology is a Good Thing, IMHO. It's not something one should feel sorry or condescending about.
- qwertyuiop924 10y ago...That's actually my point, kind of. While I wouldn't wish nano on anyone working on a large project, a lot of unix administration work (well, at the level of the system on your desk, anyways... professional SAs have a lot more to do, and should be feared and respected) is light text editing: that's precisely nano's problem domain. I used nano exclusively for years, and though those days are gone, I don't appreciate people who look down upon it and its users, just because it wasn't built to compete with emacs.
- witty_username 10y agoI've been programming for about 5 years (probably not "serious programming") and I use GUI editors, and nano is pretty similar to them.
- morganvachon 10y agoAs someone who has used Linux since 1999 (starting with Slackware) and FreeBSD and OpenBSD since the early 2000s, I'd say I'm no longer a "newbie". Yet, I use nano daily because it's so simple and accessible. You only need to remember a few key combos, and for basic edits there is simply no need to break out vi or emacs or a GUI editor. A simple, useful tool does not always equate to "newbies only". In fact, I'd say it's the UNIX way: A simple tool that does one job really well. Or to put it another way: Why would I break out my 30 piece combination wrench set when I just need to turn a nut a little tighter with my adjustable wrench that's right there next to me?
- caseymarquis 10y agoWhen you work with the combo set from 5 to 16 hours a day and immediately know the size of the nut on sight, you feel exactly the opposite sentiment. Probably not the average use case though.
- morganvachon 10y agoExcellent point, and I'm getting there with all the work I've been doing restoring my Bronco.
- ominous 10y agoFair points. But this is also true: > There are, at any given point, many [non-]newbies who just want to make that one change to that one configuration file without [using] a whole programmer's text editor. > There are, by now, probably plenty of people of who use GNU/Linux (...) who don't ____ing care about text editors [when it comes] for that one time they need to add an entry to crontab or sudoers or something. > If you want to do serious programming / system administration, learning one of the advanced editors is - at the very least - good advice. [But even then, a simple editor is always useful.] My point is: not just for newbies.