Porting UNIX Applications to the Mac

[Chris Torek]

>In article <15372 at mordor.ARPA> jdb at mordor.UUCP (John Bruner) writes:
>>  I am far more productive with "vi" on UNIX than with any of
>>the mouse-based editors I've run across on the Mac. 

In article <981 at cit-vax.Caltech.Edu> wetter at tybalt.caltech.edu.UUCP
(Pierce T. Wetter) responds:
[much laughter]
>Considering my experiences ... this is the most hilarious thing i've
>ever heard. When I'm programming the thing I do most often is move
>around in the file. You cant tell me that pointing and clicking
>with the mouse isn't faster then banging away on random cursor keys.

Yes I can, and yes it is---for me.  If it is not for you, fine.
(To expound a bit, I do not `bang away on random cursor keys'.  If
I want to get three lines down from the middle of the screen, to
the end of the seventh word, I might type Mjjj7E.  I can type that
sequence in about a half-second.  When I use a Sun, it typically
takes me about four seconds to find the mouse, point, click, and
find the keyboard again.)

>It's true that you can go directly to a specific line number but
>you can't easily go up five lines and over twenty characters.

`5k20l' took about a second.  The real problem with this is converting
a visual represntation to a number of characters.  It is an acquired
skill, as is using a mouse.

>Also a mouse based editor is much easier to cut & paste in (which
>if you looked at code I've written  you'll know why I like this--
>" Who needs a for next loop I'll just paste it in five times") 

That depends on a number of things.  I do indeed use the Sun mouse
for this at times, whenever I think it will be faster or easier.

>  Also, you need to move your hands away from the "home row" whenever you 
>hit the escape key or any other "control key".

I do not.  I *do* need to move my hands significantly to use the mouse.

>The mouse isn't any worse (unless you have an infinate typing speed).

Anything faster than about 30 wpm suffices.

>However, there is one small thing I should mention, I'm using a trackball
>instead of a mouse ...

Actually, I would like to have a keyboard, a mouse, a trackball,
a light pen, a bitpad, a touch screen, an eye tracker, and voice
input, and be able to choose among these as I wish.  Indeed, I
think the only reasonable approach is to program for a virtual
input device, and allow the connection of just about anything.

>Nuff Said

Indeed.