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: 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.
[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 <dcantrell@xxxxxxxxxx> Red Hat, Inc. | Boston, MA | EST5EDT _______________________________________________ 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
