6 ms·

> The default key bindings are intuitive. Input text as normal, use directional keys to move around, use Ctrl-S to save, Ctrl-O to open, Ctrl-X to exit. Ctrl-X

> The default key bindings are intuitive. Input text as normal, use directional keys to move around, use Ctrl-S to save, Ctrl-O to open, Ctrl-X to exit. Ctrl-X to exit is not intuitive. That's used to cut text almost everywhere. Instead, use Ctrl-Q (quit). It's been 35 years since CUA[1]. Another terminal editor, micro[2], already adopted these conventions—Ctrl-C to copy, Ctrl-X to cut, Ctrl-V to paste—other terminal editors should as well. [1]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBM_Common_User_Access https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBM_Common_User_Access [2]: https://micro-editor.github.io/ https://micro-editor.github.io/

Andoryuuta 4y ago
From my perspective of using nano for all simple text editing on linux, ctrl-X to exit seems very intuitive to me. Plus it's even used in that one famous Matrix scene[1] where he is trying to close out of whatever he sees open on his computer. ;) [1]: https://youtu.be/sjoad6gcRzs?t=31 https://youtu.be/sjoad6gcRzs?t=31 (31 ~ 50s)
- amadeuspagel 4y ago
  But nano doesn't use Ctrl-S to save and Ctrl-O to open, so Mle already breaks with nano.
- sigzero 4y ago
  Nano should not be the "standard" as that community is small.
  - 9dev 4y ago
    Is it, though? I’d argue that nano is the most accessible, easily discoverable, and usable editor for simple text editing available on almost any Linux system out there. It’s no IDE, but it never claimed it was either. It doesn’t require a manual, as even the shortcuts are shown at the bottom of the screen for reference. And it includes syntax highlighting, tab handling, and basic cut/copy/paste handling. What is it you’re missing from a standard text editor?
    - janderland 4y ago
      When I moved from Win to Linux (as a beginner programmer), nano was my go to for quick edits in the terminal. Then I found vim….
quesera 4y ago
> Ctrl-C to copy, Ctrl-X to cut, Ctrl-V to paste—other terminal editors should as well. Blasphemy. Especially in a terminal environment. Ctrl-C has meant "Interrupt" since the 1960s. IBM and MSFT decided to bastardize the Macintosh's Cmd-C into Ctrl-C for "Copy", but this is a historical tragedy that should not be propagated. Ctrl-S means "XOFF ~(Pause output)", and Ctrl-Q means "XON ~(Resume output)".
- jcelerier 4y ago
  What a something means is defined by how many people use it for a given definition. If tomorrow half the earth starts saying "fork" for knife then that is what "fork" will mean - the ratio for ctrl-c meaning copy vs its Unix meaning is even stronger. Being there first has exactly zero importance
  - quesera 4y ago
    > What a something means is defined by how many people use it for a given definition. Only in context. I don't really care what Windows people do with their Ctrl keys. But using Ctrl-C for copy in a terminal environment (from TOPS-20 to Linux and macOS, and whatever MSFT calls its captive Linux env) is wrong. It is wrong because Ctrl-C already performs another critical (more important) system function. It can't do both, and forking (knifing?) up the UI to have it do different things is a mistake.
    - fnordpiglet 4y ago
      Sometimes standards emerge rather than from formal bodies but by broad experience and consensus. The Microsoft operating systems dominated human experience for decades. I’m sorry that other systems did different things, but on the basis of cumulative human experience, these key bindings are in fact standard. Any variance, no matter how ideologically pure, is opposed to the collective human experience of cut and paste key bindings. Why do that to people? Because of some market outcomes from 30 years ago didn’t go the way you prefer so we should impose confusing experiences on everyone? That’s audacious.
qualudeheart 4y ago
I would just use the emacs defaults.

Andoryuuta 4y ago

From my perspective of using nano for all simple text editing on linux, ctrl-X to exit seems very intuitive to me. Plus it's even used in that one famous Matrix scene[1] where he is trying to close out of whatever he sees open on his computer. ;) [1]: https://youtu.be/sjoad6gcRzs?t=31 https://youtu.be/sjoad6gcRzs?t=31 (31 ~ 50s)

amadeuspagel 4y ago
But nano doesn't use Ctrl-S to save and Ctrl-O to open, so Mle already breaks with nano.
sigzero 4y ago
Nano should not be the "standard" as that community is small.
- 9dev 4y ago
  Is it, though? I’d argue that nano is the most accessible, easily discoverable, and usable editor for simple text editing available on almost any Linux system out there. It’s no IDE, but it never claimed it was either. It doesn’t require a manual, as even the shortcuts are shown at the bottom of the screen for reference. And it includes syntax highlighting, tab handling, and basic cut/copy/paste handling. What is it you’re missing from a standard text editor?
  - janderland 4y ago
    When I moved from Win to Linux (as a beginner programmer), nano was my go to for quick edits in the terminal. Then I found vim….

quesera 4y ago

> Ctrl-C to copy, Ctrl-X to cut, Ctrl-V to paste—other terminal editors should as well. Blasphemy. Especially in a terminal environment. Ctrl-C has meant "Interrupt" since the 1960s. IBM and MSFT decided to bastardize the Macintosh's Cmd-C into Ctrl-C for "Copy", but this is a historical tragedy that should not be propagated. Ctrl-S means "XOFF ~(Pause output)", and Ctrl-Q means "XON ~(Resume output)".

jcelerier 4y ago
What a something means is defined by how many people use it for a given definition. If tomorrow half the earth starts saying "fork" for knife then that is what "fork" will mean - the ratio for ctrl-c meaning copy vs its Unix meaning is even stronger. Being there first has exactly zero importance
- quesera 4y ago
  > What a something means is defined by how many people use it for a given definition. Only in context. I don't really care what Windows people do with their Ctrl keys. But using Ctrl-C for copy in a terminal environment (from TOPS-20 to Linux and macOS, and whatever MSFT calls its captive Linux env) is wrong. It is wrong because Ctrl-C already performs another critical (more important) system function. It can't do both, and forking (knifing?) up the UI to have it do different things is a mistake.
  - fnordpiglet 4y ago
    Sometimes standards emerge rather than from formal bodies but by broad experience and consensus. The Microsoft operating systems dominated human experience for decades. I’m sorry that other systems did different things, but on the basis of cumulative human experience, these key bindings are in fact standard. Any variance, no matter how ideologically pure, is opposed to the collective human experience of cut and paste key bindings. Why do that to people? Because of some market outcomes from 30 years ago didn’t go the way you prefer so we should impose confusing experiences on everyone? That’s audacious.

qualudeheart 4y ago

I would just use the emacs defaults.