On Thu, Jun 25, 2020 at 01:18:59PM -0400, Ben Cotton wrote:
https://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Changes/UseNanoByDefault
== Summary ==
Let's make Fedora more approachable, by having a default editor that
doesn't require specialist knowledge to use.
== Owner ==
* Name: [[User:chrismurphy| Chris Murphy]]
* Email: chrismur...@fedoraproject.org
== Detailed Description ==
Users are exposed to the default editor when they use commands that
call it. The main example here is something like <code>git
commit</code>.
Fedora does not currently have a default terminal text editor, because
the $EDITOR environment variable is unset by default. But a common
scenario where users wind up in a terminal text editor is when using
'git commit'. By default, git picks vi. You need to spend time
learning how to use it, for even basic editing tasks. This increases
the barrier to entry for those who are switching to Fedora and don't
know how to use vi. It also makes things hard for those who don't
particularly want to learn how to use vi. (These arguments would apply
just as well if git picked Vim. vi is like hard mode for Vim, with
fewer features, missing syntax highlighting, and no indication of what
mode you are in. Even Vim users may feel lost and bewildered when
using vi.)
In contrast, Nano offers the kind of graphical text editing experience
that people are used to, and therefore doesn't require specialist
knowledge to use. It is already installed across most Fedora Editions
and Spins. This proposal will make Nano the default editor, while
continuing to install <code>vim-minimal</code> (which provides vi, but
not Vim). People will still be able to call <code>vi</code> if they
want to edit a file. It will also obviously be possible to change the
default editor to vi or Vim, for those who want it.
Why make Nano default and vi optional, rather than the other way
round? Because Nano is the option that everyone can use.
== Feedback ==
Pending ...
== Benefit to Fedora ==
* Makes the default editor across all of Fedora more approachable.
* Nano is also mostly self-documenting, by displaying common keyboard
shortcuts on-screen.
* More in line with the default editor of other distributions.
[snip]
This has a +1 from me. After using vim for 20+ and recently making the move
to emacs (yeah, I did...and I like it more than vim), I think making nano the
default $EDITOR is the correct thing to do for Fedora.
nano is discoverable. For someone who has never used a text editor on Linux,
nano tells you what to do to save, open, and quit. The arrow keys do what you
think they'll do. When you press return, you move to a new line. Delete and
backspace work like you are probably familiar with.
If a new user is following instructions to do something on Fedora and finds
themselves in an unfamiliar editor, the task at hand changes from "doing that
thing I was trying to do" to "how do I use this editor". In conversations I
have with people, I would much prefer to help them through the original task
than diverging in to "here's how to use this super powerful and not entirely
intuitive editor that you may or may not end up using later".
I have spent many years saying "but all you have to type is ______" when new
users are confused by, for instance, vi. This is bad. It's a silly situation
to land users in and it's something we can do better in Fedora for that basic,
standard, and new user experience. Now I make sure new users have nano
available and just tell them to use that.
I can set $EDITOR to my own favorite. And when those same users ask about my
editor environment, I can have that conversation separately. When we're not
trying to set up their first system.
Thanks for the proposal. I feel this is long overdue for Fedora.
Thanks,
--
David Cantrell <dcantr...@redhat.com>
Red Hat, Inc. | Boston, MA | EST5EDT
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