dve@mace.cc.purdue.edu (04/02/91)
I'm desperately in need of a good 'vi' a DOS machine that implement the Unix vi in full. I learned there's a commercial 'vi' by MKS ($125 mail order). I like to ask those who know anything about it how they think of it. I look for the following features in vi in that order: 1: Full unix vi implementation 2: Color changable, or at least will use the default color (which is not necessarily white on black!). I use a color monitor and always set the color as green on black via ANSI.SYS. Some vi clones disregard this and always come with white on black, very annoying. 3: Settings should be configurable like by .exrc in UNIX 4: Should be able to edit file of any length, i.e. not limited by RAM, or perhaps, can use EMS and XMS RAM 5: Should be reseanably fast. Should also handle graphics characters, not just 'print'able characters. Granted, there're shareware and even free 'vi' clones around. They all have problems. To site 1 Calvin vi: Too simple and limited 2 Steve vi: File size limited. Biggest fault is lack of the ability to delete lines in bulk. commands of form :100:1000d are not implemented. So one can only delete lines one by one. 3 Elvis vi: Color can not change. Default is terrible, cursor impossible to locate. Biggest fault: will not do line numbers I'm looking to get MKS vi. Because it's commercial program and costs a lot, I suppose it should be reasonably good. But since it's not returnable, I'd like to ask your opinion on it first. Thanks a lot. Please reply at dve@mace.cc.purdue.edu