[comp.emacs] Microemacs Dreams

hakanson@orstcs.cs.ORST.EDU (03/18/87)

<yum!>

I have a request, or maybe a plea, if you care to call it that.

We are just getting microemacs 3.8b from mod.sources, and it really
looks nice.  But it still lacks two things that will make it useful
enough here to install in preference to other offerings:

(1) It is not compatible with GNU-emacs.  This is a minor thing,
    really, but it is a lot of work to make microemacs behave
    like GNU-emacs, and I'm sure a lot of people would like their
    fingers to know the same commands on their big computers and
    small ones alike (and some might even want long lines to wrap).

(2) It does not use insert/delete line and/or character on devices
    which support these capabilities.  This lack is a big one, because
    it makes microemacs miserable to use at slow line speeds.  I know
    it's difficult to do this, or I'd do it myself, but some of us have
    smart terminals so we can edit over slow connections.

I am using MicroGnuEmacs right now, and it is the microemacs of choice
both on our VAX (BSD) at work, and on my Atari ST at home, for just
the above two reasons.  MG doesn't use insert/delete character, and
I really wish it did, but its display code is still far superior
to that of UE 3.7 (and 3.8, from what little I've looked at it),
especially at 1200 baud, and on overworked VAXes.  The (sort of) GNU
compatible startup files (and MG's flow-mode) are very nice, as well.

I'd really like to be able to use all the nifty features that UE 3.8b
has (especially the limited ability to edit long lines, along with the
nice machine (ST) specific capabilities), but I can live without them
much more easily than I can the basic functions above.

So how about it?  Is anyone working on merging these two excellent
efforts into one "product"?  If so, then how's it going, and if not,
then would someone please consider it?

And let's not clog the net with "me too's" -- if you have similar
wishes for one perfect microemacs, just send them to me, and I'll
summarize if there are any (and disappear if there are none :-).
But if you are working on such a beast, let us all know about it.

Marion Hakanson         CSnet:  hakanson%oregon-state@csnet-relay
                        UUCP :  {hp-pcd,tektronix}!orstcs!hakanson