+1 I'm all for making the user experience better, and I think this change contributes to that. ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Ben Cotton" <bcotton@xxxxxxxxxx> > To: devel-announce@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, "Development discussions related to Fedora" > <devel@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> > Sent: Thursday, June 25, 2020 7:18:59 PM > Subject: Fedora 33 System-Wide Change proposal: Make nano the default editor > > 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: chrismurphy@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx > > > == 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 $EDITOR environment variable is unset by default. But a common > scenario where users wind up in a terminal text editor is when using > 'git commit'. By default, git picks vi. You need to spend time > learning how to use it, for even basic editing tasks. This increases > the barrier to entry for those who are switching to Fedora and don't > know how to use vi. It also makes things hard for those who don't > particularly want to learn how to use vi. (These arguments would apply > just as well if git picked Vim. vi is like hard mode for Vim, with > fewer features, missing syntax highlighting, and no indication of what > mode you are in. Even Vim users may feel lost and bewildered when > using vi.) > > In contrast, Nano offers the kind of graphical text editing experience > that people are used to, and therefore doesn't require specialist > knowledge to use. It is already installed across most Fedora Editions > and Spins. This proposal will make Nano the default editor, while > continuing to install <code>vim-minimal</code> (which provides vi, but > not Vim). People will still be able to call <code>vi</code> if they > want to edit a file. It will also obviously be possible to change the > default editor to vi or Vim, for those who want it. > > Why make Nano default and vi optional, rather than the other way > round? Because Nano is the option that everyone can use. > > == Feedback == > > Pending ... > > == Benefit to Fedora == > > * Makes the default editor across all of Fedora more approachable. > * Nano is also mostly self-documenting, by displaying common keyboard > shortcuts on-screen. > * More in line with the default editor of other distributions. > > == Scope == > * Proposal owners: > ** Modify comps to include nano Fedora wide. > ** Create a new subpackage of <code>nano</code>, called > <code>nano-editor</code>. > ** <code>nano-editor</code> to include > <code>/usr/lib/environment.d/10-nano.conf</code>, which sets > <code>$EDITOR</code> to <code>nano</code>. > > With this approach, if <code>nano</code> is uninstalled, the > configuration will be removed with it. At the same time, installing > nano on its own won't install the conf. > > * Other developers: N/A > > * Release engineering: [https://pagure.io/releng/issue/9522 #9522] > > * Policies and guidelines: N/A > > * Trademark approval: N/A > > == Upgrade/compatibility impact == > > Will not apply to upgrades. > > == How To Test == > > Run <code>export EDITOR="/usr/bin/nano"</code>. > > == User Experience == > > Users running <code>git commit</code> will be able to just type their > commit message, rather than having to learn about insert mode, and > they'll be able to cut and paste without having to learn special > shortcuts. > > == Dependencies == > > No additional dependencies are required. > > == Contingency Plan == > The contingency plan is to revert the change by removing the > <code>nano-editor</code> package. > > * Contingency deadline: probably the beta? It's an easy change to revert. > * Blocks release? If the change breaks the redirection to an editor, > it should block the release. However, this is unlikely. > * Blocks product? Potentially all. > > == Documentation == > As part of this change, it would be good to add instructions for > changing the default editor to the > [https://docs.fedoraproject.org/en-US/quick-docs/ quick docs]. > > > -- > Ben Cotton > He / Him / His > Senior Program Manager, Fedora & CentOS Stream > Red Hat > TZ=America/Indiana/Indianapolis > _______________________________________________ > devel mailing list -- devel@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx > To unsubscribe send an email to devel-leave@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx > Fedora Code of Conduct: > https://docs.fedoraproject.org/en-US/project/code-of-conduct/ > List Guidelines: https://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Mailing_list_guidelines > List Archives: > https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/devel@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx > -- Regards, Charalampos Stratakis Software Engineer Python Maintenance Team, Red Hat _______________________________________________ devel mailing list -- devel@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx To unsubscribe send an email to devel-leave@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Fedora Code of Conduct: https://docs.fedoraproject.org/en-US/project/code-of-conduct/ List Guidelines: https://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Mailing_list_guidelines List Archives: https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/devel@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
