Bartholomew_Siemens@mindlink.UUCP (Bartholomew Siemens) (02/16/91)
About a week ago, I put out a request for information on a new editor called Sage Professional Editor. Response was informative and large. I will try to summarize--briefly. A couple responses gave me features and details: * emulation of vi, Brief, Wordstar, Epsilon/EMACS, etc. * can edit files up to 100 meg * as many as 256 windows * uses EMS * no limit on Undo/Redo * includes a C-like extension language * shrinks to 4k of memory when you open the DOS window * Sage offers a 30 day, money back guarantee I had several different options suggested to me: * Epsilon - an emacs clone, but the extension language is C, not lisp. * Multi-Edit. * Freemacs The first person who told me about the money back guarantee had good experiences with that feature when he returned their AWK product and was even given a trial copy until he decided to purchase their Polyshell. Another writer informed me of a problem he had experienced with their *returns* policy: * required an unused registration card * 15% restocking fee * and four months to return my money (w/o shipping...) Some of the writers had good comments about Sage: * easier extension language than Brief * good user interface * mouse support * regular expression search And then the complaints started rolling in: * "In a period of about 25 minutes I was about to break the editor in about eight different, major, ways." * 20 seconds to load autoexec.bat on an XT * "It even locked up my machine when I tried to edit config.sys (A memory corrupt, system halted)." * "character oriented editor, the scroll and select boxes are only one character in size..." Most users told me that Sage is not their full-time editor and they only used it for a virtual editor or regular expression search. Although I was able to find a listing in Vancouver, BC for $249--I can't see myself needing a virtual editor or regular expression search *that* much. I also don't use a mouse, nor is a *good* user interface or an easier extension language a woo to me. I use my editor enough that I look for power and the least keystrokes--something I think I've found with Qedit. BTW, I think Qedit has an excellent user interface (don't get me wrong)! My decision, probably obvious, is to stay with Qedit. I will learn the extension language, more extensively and I will save myself $200. My thanks to all who contributed to this decision. If anyone would like a collection of all the e-mail that I received on this topic, just ask in the next two weeks. . -- ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Disclaimer: navahoe -- I am exactly who I am and I speak that! rsoft!mindlink!Bartholomew_Siemens@van-bc.UUCP -----------------------------------------------------------------------