🚀 go-pugleaf

! I'd like to see a history mechanism that works like VMS' RECALL, i.e. 
! type something like !vi .cs  and get the last vi command that edits 
! .cshrc.  Simple, powerful concept; only a single command to learn. 

It's there.  You just need to try.

! Also, the history list should save a command only if it is different 
! from the last one.

No way.  You will be able to reach the next *different* command in the
command history by "history-search-backward", it skips back over all
similar commands.  You just need to bind it to a proper key that you think
you'll tend to use.  (Say, bind it to X11 "Prior" key if available, or
"PgUp" on a Sun keyboard).

! If both these questions have solutions already it only shows that tcsh 
! has too many features.  I can't remember them so I don't use them.

You have probably never made the attempt to find out.

   ~~harald E.