🚀 go-pugleaf

craig@unify.uucp (Craig Isaacs) writes:

>In article <1990Apr30.181344.1395@seri.gov> marshall@wind55.seri.gov (Marshall L. Buhl) writes:
>>MJB@cup.portal.com (Martin J Brown-Jr) writes:
>>
>>>Anybody seen a text editor for Windows386 (pd, shareware, or inexpensive)?
>>>Notepad just doesn't cut it (I'm tired of getting those "not valid notepad 
>>>file" notices).
>>
>>What really ticks me off is that I can't even edit my WIN.INI file with it.
>>I use soft fonts for my LaserJet II and they make the INI file too big to
>>be edited by it.  I think it's limited to 32K.
>>
>Am I missing something here?  Isn't MS Write given away with Windows?

>Although Write is certainly not a fancy wp program, it does
>qualify as a text editor (and can edit win.ini).

Well, yes.  You can edit files with a word processor.  I even own WinWord.
I just PREFER to use an editor for editing text files.  Word processors
are generally MUCH slower than editors.  They take longer to load, open
files, etc.  When I want to make a quick change to a file, I don't want to
wait a half minute or so to do it.  I'm used to fast response, and when I 
don't get it, I start pissing and moaning.  Once you become addicted to
speed, it's very hard to accept slow response.  It breaks your rhythm and
productivity plummets.

I consider Notepad to be an embarrassment.  IMHO, Windows is a GREAT 
idea - it just isn't executed very well.  Yet.  Here's hoping for 3.0!

BTW, Martin tells me one can add a line to WIN.INI to increase Notepad's
size.  I haven't had a chance to try it yet, but I'm curious as to why MS
didn't mention it to me when I was complaining about it on the phone.
Martin says to try:

[notepad]
size=xxx

To quote the manual on Notepad file size:

	"When a file has less than 10 percent free space, you should con-
	sider splitting the file and working on it as two different files."

What incredibly useless advice!

When I look up WIN.INI in the Notepad index (hoping for advice on
increasing Notepad's max file size), it tells me to look at page 1.
To quote page 1:

	"Microsoft Windows Notepad is a text editor you can use to
	create, modify, and display text files.  Although Notepad is pri-
	marily a place to jot down notes or short memos, you can also
	use Notepad to create and edit batch files and to edit your
	WIN.INI file."

OK.

So now I try the index for the Windows User's Guide, I see under Notepad
that they mention WIN.INI.  Let's see if that tells us how to increase
the default size.  I turn to page 199 and there the title says "Customizing
Your WIN.INI File."  Sounds promising!  Unfortunately, where Notepad is
mentioned is in the following line:

	"You can make changes directly to your WIN.INI file by using
	Notepad."

Nothing about customizing Notepad - just using it to modify WIN.INI.
Why does MS have so many undocumented features in Windows?  I consider 
that slightly unethical.

So since MS doesn't intend for people to use Notepad as a general
purpose text editor ("primarily a place to jot down notes and short
memos" - for that I prefer yellow sticky pads), what are our options?  
Will WIN 3.0 have an enhanced Notepad?  Does someone market a good 
Windows text editor?  I'm willing to spend money for quality software.

Will May 21 ever come?
--
Marshall L. Buhl, Jr.                EMAIL: marshall@seri.gov
Senior Computer Engineer             VOICE: (303)231-1014
Wind Research Branch                 1617 Cole Blvd., Golden, CO  80401-3393
Solar Energy Research Institute      Solar - safe energy for a healthy future