One could run the command in an Emacs *shell* window. I am always in Emacs. What you say only works, in general, if no filters are being run on the output. Or something. It certainly didn't work for me, although I don't doubt that it works sometimes, or could conceivably work every time.
However, I agree that the benefits of this use outweigh the cost.
Glad to hear it :).
karl
