Return to BSD News archive
Path: sserve!manuel!munnari.oz.au!spool.mu.edu!sdd.hp.com!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu!csn!raven!rcd From: rcd@raven.eklektix.com (Dick Dunn) Newsgroups: comp.unix.bsd Subject: Re: ... and ex/vi Message-ID: <1992Jun18.232705@eklektix.com> Date: 18 Jun 92 23:27:05 GMT Article-I.D.: eklektix.1992Jun18.232705 References: <1992Jun17.121039.19472@wes.on.ca> <1992Jun18.164531.10222@pasteur.Berkeley.EDU> <11qrnlINNhtj@agate.berkeley.edu> Organization: eklektix - Boulder, Colorado Lines: 41 forrest@nobozo.CS.Berkeley.EDU (Jon Forrest) writes in response to Keith's background on ex/vi and list of arcana: >There is an obvious solution - a EX/VI Consortium... URK!! It's not obvious, and it's pretty clear it's not a solution. This is the week for consortia, isn't it?...and it's only Thursday. (At least the "BSD Consortium" idea had some precedent--X, OSF, the SVR4 gang.) A consortium for one program (and not a large program, at that, unless done wrong) would likely provide an amusing example in some software engineering text in the future...but... PLEASE tell us you're joking before somebody takes it seriously. >...It wouldn't have to be very big... That's cool. How about a size of one person? I suggest Keith. >...This version would also serve as the official version of ex/vi in >which all the crazy behavior that Keith describes (which I edited out) >would be resolved... Hmmm...There might be a little resistance from AT&T^H^H^H^HUI^H^HUSL upon being told how their ex/vi should be modified to match the "official version." Actually, what Keith describes is arcane, but there's not that much to resolve. Weird as it is, it's how vi *does* work and *has worked* for years. It's a matter of discovering all these little weird bits, and that's not consortium work. >...A document could be create containing the formal definition >of ex/vi. The world would be a beautiful place again. Wow--a consortium *and* a standard! OOP AACK! THPPT! (now at least we know you were kidding:-) -- Dick Dunn rcd@raven.eklektix.com -or- raven!rcd Boulder, Colorado ...The way to meet an impossible circumstance is with voluntary craziness.