PE - a user's history (long)
Russell Herman
IBM around 1982. The first version was sold in the standard IBM PC slipcase
package of that era. When the only editor available for DOS was EDLIN, it
represented a quantum leap in PC tool quality, making it possible to develop
large programs directly on 4.77MHz 8088 machines.
PE was innovative in that it is a full-screen editor with block-marking for
delete, cut, and paste. It also can be operated with settable margins and
word-wrap as a primitive word-processor. File sizes were limited to what
would fit into RAM, and only one file could be viewed at a time, although
multiple files could be open for editing and cycled amongst (and cut-and-
pasted between). [However, that semicolon-related feature was NOT a part
of this editor.]
As PC marketing strategies emerged, IBM gradually decided to get out of the
low-volume end of PC software. By this time there were a number of IBM
developers who had written useful programs that were saleable, although not
with the standard IBM packaging costs. Someone at IBM established a
"Personally Developed Software" marketing arm, where programs could be
purchased on diskette for quite reasonable prices. PE2 was marketed under
this scheme until the Personally Developed Software program was discontinued.
(IBM's support consisted of publishing the catalog of software and the order
filling. I believe that the programmers received royalties, as these were
programs that had been developed on people's own time, rather than as
official IBM products. Never having been connected with IBM in any way,
however, I can't be certain of how they ran things.)
PE2 (c)1985 added 2 major enhancements. One was the ability to display 2
files with the screen split exactly in half either horizontally or vertically)
or 4 files with the screen quartered. The other was the ability to edit
files larger than RAM using "spill files". Performance suffers enormously
once this happens, even with today's faster CPUs and hard drives, but at
least it makes things *possible* that weren't before.
As you may have guessed by now, I'm still a regular user of PE2. Except for
the occasions where I need regular-expression matching, PE2 provides
everything I need in an editor. It's alt and FN key driven which I like.
There's even a primitive auto-indent capability and many-to-one keystroke
mappings available. I always had the sense that it was designed by a
programmer who needed an editor to get his real work done, rather than an
editor-designer who was trying to cram as many features as possible into
a product.
A few years ago I heard rumors of its being released yet again as PE3, but
I never saw any identified vendor. I suspect there have been many copies
passed hand-to-hand; having the manual on disk makes this much easier.
I've also seen bootlegs on some BBSs with a slightly later date than
mine, but what this represents I don't really know. But I'm pleased to have
one of the original magenta-labelled floppies identifying an authorized
Personal Editor II copy.
--
Disclaimer: Only the Minister speaks for the Ministry of Health, not me.
Russell Herman
...!lsuc!ontmoh!rwh
Microcomputer Support Specialist
Ontario Ministry of Health
15 Overlea Blvd., 2nd Fl.
Toronto, ON Canada M4H 1A9
Voice: +1 416 963-3320 Fax: +1 416 963-1878
Craig A. Finseth
>PE, officially known as the IBM Personal Editor, was written by Jim Wylie of
>IBM around 1982. The first version was sold in the standard IBM PC slipcase
>package of that era. When the only editor available for DOS was EDLIN, it
>represented a quantum leap in PC tool quality, making it possible to develop
>PE was innovative in that it is a full-screen editor with block-marking for
>delete, cut, and paste. It also can be operated with settable margins and
>Russell Herman
...
I beg to differ, but Mince was available for the IBM PC very shortly
after the first IBM PCs were available in stores. (I remember
haunting the Sears Business Center in Burlington MA....) Mince had
all of the listed features and many more, including non-interactive
extensibiility (you got source code and had to recompile) and the
Emacs command set.
Craig A. Finseth f...@unet.umn.edu [CAF13]
University Networking Services +1 612 624 3375 desk
University of Minnesota +1 612 625 0006 problems
130 Lind Hall, 207 Church St SE +1 612 626 1002 FAX
Minneapolis MN 55455-0134, U.S.A.
Craig A. Finseth
Craig A. Finseth
f...@unet.umn.edu
+1 612 624 3375
University Networking Services
University of Minnesota
130 Lind Hall, 207 Church St SE
This document provides a partial -- and not comprehensive -- list of
implementations of Emacs type editors. You can help make it more
comprehensive by sending me additional information and/or updates. I
will be posting the revised version on a regular (~2 month) basis.
I have some, but not all information on:
Elle
To be included in this list, an implmentation must either (1) be
"advertised" as being an Emacs-type editor or (2) be extensible and
come with an Emacs command set "mode" already written. Editors that
are extensible but do not come with such a mode (i.e., you have to
write it yourself) are not listed.
Each implementation is described in the following format:
name: NAME
version: VERSION
implementation language: IMPLEMENTATION LANGUAGE
extension language: EXTENSION LANGUAGE
scope of implementation: SCOPE
hardware/software requirements: REQUIREMENTS
organization/author:
ORGANIZATION
STATUS
The NAME line contains the name of the implementation.
Implementations are listed alphabetically by name.
The VERSION is the latest known version. It is probably out of date.
The IMPLEMENTATION LANGUAGE is the language that the bulk of the
implementation is written in. A compiler or interpreter for this
language would be needed to use the editor.
The EXTENSION LANGUAGE is the (often custom or modified) language that
the user uses when altering or writing extensions to the
implementation. It is "none" if there is no extension language.
The SCOPE is either "command set" or "extensible." In the first case,
the implementation offers a basic Emacs command set, however the user
cannot readily change what the commands do. In the second case, the
user can fully control what all of the commands do.
The REQUIREMENTS is a brief characterization of what hardware or
software is required. It is not a definitive list, in particular,
"UNIX" is used to mean that the implementation runs on at least one
UNIX system, not that it runs on all.
The ORGANIZATION is the name of and contact information for the
implementor.
The STATUS is one of:
- no longer available: Self-explanatory.
- free: The implementation is available to most people at no
charge. Even such "free" implementations may have
restrictions: consult information about the particular
implementation. Where available, information on how to obtain
a copy is also listed.
- not free: The implementation is for sale. Contact the
vendor for specifics.
Many of the names of the implementations in this list are trademarked.
Specific trademarks are not called out.
Full source is available for all of the free implementations. Source
availability varies among the not free implementations: check with the
vendor before you buy. But first...
-------------------- Acronyms --------------------
Part of the history of Emacs type editors can be followed by tracing
the evolution of the acronyms used for implementations. The acronyms
and their expansions that follow are listed in (more or less)
chronological order:
TECO Text Editor and COrrector
(this may be TAPE Editor and COrrector)
EMACS Editor MACroS
EINE EINE is not Emacs (the first known recursive acronym)
SINE SINE is not EINE (the first known doubly-recursive acronym)
ZWEI Zwei Was Eine, Initially (the author knew German...)
FINE Fine Is Not Emacs
VINE Vine Is Not Emacs
TORES Text ORiented Editing System
Mince Mince Is Not Complete Emacs
Jove Jonathan's Own Version of Emacs
---------- GNU-Emacs ----------
name: GNU-Emacs
version: 18.55
implementation language: C
extension language: Lisp
scope of implementation: extensible
hardware/software requirements: UNIX, VMS
organization:
Free Software Foundation
675 Massachusetts Ave
Cambridge MA 02139
USA
+1 617 876 3296
g...@prep.ai.mit.edu
free, anonymous FTP from:
prep.ai.mit.edu
scam.berkeley.edu
itstd.sri.com
wuarchive.wustl.edu
wsmr-simtel20.army.mil (under `PD:<UNIX.GNU>')
bu.edu
louie.udel.edu
nic.nyser.net
ftp.cs.titech.ac.jp
funic.hut.fi
sunic.sunet.se
freja.diku.dk
gatekeeper.dec.com
mango.miami.edu (VMS G++)
cc.utah.edu (VMS GNU Emacs)
uunet.uu.net
on the SPAN network, contact rdss::corbet
on UUCP, contact one of:
hao!scicom!qetzal!upba!ugn!nepa!denny
acornrc!bob
hqda-ai!merlin
uunet!hutch!barber
sun!nosun!illian!darylm
oli-stl!root
bigtex!james
postm...@uunet.uu.net
ka...@tut.cis.ohio-state.edu (or osu-cis!karl)
Ohio State also posts their UUCP instructions regularly to
the news group comp.sources.d
---------- Implementations Available For No Charge ----------
name: AMIS
version:
implementation language: Pascal
extension language: none
scope of implementation: command set
hardware/software requirements: VMS, Norsk Data, Tops10, RSTS
organization/author:
Stacken Computer Club
c/o NADA
S-100 44 Stockholm
Sweden
sta...@stacken.kth.se
note: the name is an abbreviation of "Anti-MISAER" (where "AE" is
the "ae" glyph). "Misaer" is Swedish (svenska) for "piece of junk, or
deep shit functionality."
Tops10, RSTS, Norsk Data versions are free, send them a
1/2 inch, 2400-foot magnetic tape and return postage
VMS version is $1000 US (the money goes to our DEC10 museum)
name: Edwin
version:
implementation language: CScheme
extension language: CScheme
scope of implementation: extensible
hardware/software requirements: UNIX, VMS
organization/author:
Scheme Distribution
c/o Prof. Hal Abelson
545 Technology Sq. Room 410
Cambridge MA 02139
USA
info-csche...@zurich.ai.mit.edu
free, anonymous FTP from
zurich.ai.mit.edu in pub/scheme/README
also, check out other Scheme implementations
name: Emacs
version:
implementation language: MIDAS (PDP10/DEC-20 assembly language)
extension language: TECO
scope of implementation: extensible
hardware/software requirements: PDP10/ITS or DEC-20/TOPS-20
organization/author:
MIT AI Lab/MIT Lab. for Comp. Sci.
545 Technology Square
Cambridge MA 02139
USA
note: this is the original
free, anonymous FTP from
mc.lcs.mit.edu in its/ai/emacs/*, its/ai/emacs1/*
osu-20.ircc.ohio-state.edu (executable)
name: Epoch
version: 3.2
implementation language: C
extension language: Lisp
scope of implementation: extensible
hardware/software requirements: UNIX, VMS, others
organization/author:
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Urbana-Champaign IL
USA
epoch-...@cs.uiuc.edu
uunet!uiucdcs!epoch-request
epoch-request%cs.ui...@uiucvmd.bitnet
notes: this is a modified GNU Emacs
free, anonymous FTP from
cs.uiuc.edu in pub/epoch-files/epoch/*
name: Freemacs
version:
implementation language: 8086 assembler
extension language: MINT, a string-oriented version of TRAC
(MINT means "Mint Is Not TRAC")
scope of implementation: extensible
hardware/software requirements: IBM PC
organization/author:
Russel Nelson
11 Grant Street
Potsdam NY 13676
USA
free,
Internet: anonymous FTP from
simtel20.army.mil from PD:<MSDOS.FREEMACS>
grape.ecs.clarkson.edu [128.153.13.196] in /e/freemacs
BBS:
+1 315 268 6667 - 1200/2400 bps, 8N1, 24 hrs, file area 25.
No registration required to download Freemacs.
Bitnet and UUCP:
Send mail to archive...@sun.soe.clarkson.edu. You may use
archive-server%sun.soe@omnigate if you are on Bitnet, or
{smart-host}!sun.soe.clarkson.edu!archive-server if you are using
UUCP. The mail message should consist of 'help'. If you do not
get a reply within a day, then your return path is broken.
You'll need to use the path command to give a mail address that
our mailer can grok. Our mailer can send mail to any address
with an '@' in it, with the exception of ".UUCP"
pseudo-addresses.
Mail:
$15 check or $17 PO copying fee to the author. This will
assure you of the latest version. Please specify floppy
format: [5.25", 1.2 Meg], [5.25", 360K], [3.50", 720K]
name: Hemlock
version:
implementation language: Lisp
extension language: Lisp
scope of implementation: extensible
hardware/software requirements: ?
organization/author:
Scott Fahlman
Spice Lisp project
Carnegie-Mellon University
USA
fahlman@cmuc (fah...@cmuc.bitnet?)
also not free as part of Lucid Common Lisp
free, anonymous FTP from
gatekeeper.dec.com in pub/editors/hemlock.tar.Z
name: Jove
version: 4.14
implementation language: C
extension language: none
scope of implementation: command set
hardware/software requirements: UNIX, IBM PC, Macintosh
organization/author:
Jonathan Payne
Sun Microsystems, Inc.
2550 Garcia Ave
Mountain View CA 94043
USA
free, anonymous FTP from
cayuga.cs.rochester.edu in pub/jove.*
hipl.psych.nyu.edu [128.122.132.2]
comp.sources.[misc,unix] archives
also in the Berkeley UNIX distribution
name: KEmacs (Kanji Emacs)
version:
implementation language: C
extension language: custom
scope of implementation: extensible
hardware/software requirements: UNIX, VMS, IBM PC, Amiga, Atari ST,
Macintosh, Wicat, Data General
organization/author:
SANETO (sanewo) Takanori
Corporate Research Laboratories Atsugi
SONY
Japan
note: Japanese (Kanji) adaptation of MicroEMACS version 3.8i
free, anonymous FTP from
uhccux.uhcc.hawaii.edu in editors/=TAR.Z=FILES=/kemacs.tar.Z
name: Lief
version:
implementation language: C
extension language: Lisp
scope of implementation: extensible
hardware/software requirements: UNIX, VMS
organization/author:
The Saga Group
Department of Computer Science
University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign
1304 W. Springfield
Urbana IL 61801
USA
le...@a.cs.uiuc.edu
{pur-ee|ihnp4}!uiucdcs!leif
free, anonymous FTP from
uhccux.uhcc.hawaii.edu in editors/Lief/*
name: MG, (MicroGNU Emacs)
version:
implementation language: C
extension language: none
scope of implementation: command set
hardware/software requirements: UNIX, VMS, AmigaDOS, Atari ST,
OS/9-68K, Primos
organization/author:
University of Texas
USA
free, anonymous FTP from
utadnx.cc.utexas.edu in MG2A.BCK_LZW
name: MicroEMACS
version: 3.10
implementation language: C
extension language: custom
scope of implementation: extensible
hardware/software requirements: UNIX, VMS, IBM PC, Amiga, Atari ST,
Macintosh, Wicat, Data General
organization/author:
Daniel M. Lawrence
617 New York St
Lafayette IN 47901
USA
+1 317 742 5153
n...@j.cc.purdue.edu
FIDO: The Programmer's Room 201/10
+1 317 742 5533
24 hours 300/1200/2400 baud
free (non-commercial), anonymous FTP from
midas.mgmt.purdue.edu in dist/uemacs310/*
between the hours of 5pm and 8am
ask author about commercial use and distribution via disk
name: Nemacs (Nihongo Emacs)
version: 3.3.2
implementation language: C
extension language: Lisp
scope of implementation: extensible
hardware/software requirements: UNIX, VMS
maintainer:
nem...@etl.go.jp
organization/author:
Ken'ichi HANDA
Electrotechnical Lab.
Machine Inference Section
ElectroTechnical Laboratory
Umezono 1-1-4
Tsukuba City
Japan 305
+81 298 58 5916
fax +81 298 58 5918
ha...@etl.go.jp
handa%etl....@relay.cs.net
note: Japanese (Nihongo) adaptation of GNU-Emacs
free, anonymous FTP from
uhccux.uhcc.hawaii.edu in editors/NEmacs/*
name: Scame
version:
implementation language: C
extension language: none
scope of implementation: command set
hardware/software requirements: UNIX, VMS, IBM PC
organization/author:
Multihouse Automatisering bv
c/o Johan Vromans
Doesburgweg 7
2803 PL Gouda
the Netherlands
+31 1820 62911
fax +31 1820 62500
j...@mh.nl
note: loosely based on an editor called Scame by Leif Samuelsson
free, ask the author for information on how to get a copy
name: treemacs
version:
implementation language: C
extension language: Lisp
scope of implementation: extensible
hardware/software requirements: UNIX, VMS, others
organization/author:
Vipin Swarup
Dept. of Computer Science
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
USA
swa...@a.cs.uiuc.eduo
USENET ...!{cmcl2,seismo,uunet}!uiucdcs!swarup
notes: this is a modified GNU Emacs
free, anonymous FTP from
cs.uiuc.edu in pub/treemacs/*
---------- Implementations Sold by Vendors ----------
name: Brief
version: 3.0
implementation language: C
extension language: Lisp/C combination
scope of implementation: extensible
hardware/software requirements: MSDOS
organization/author:
Solution Systems
Suite 410
541 Main St
South Weymouth MA 02190
USA
+1 800 821 2492
+1 617 337 6963
fax +1 617 337 7719
not free, contact vendor for price information
name: CCA Emacs
version:
implementation language: C
extension language: ELisp
scope of implementation: extensible
hardware/software requirements: UNIX, VMS
organization/author:
Uniworks Inc.
P.O. Box K
Suite 323
Maynard MA 01754
USA
+1 508 897 6650
emacs!mau
not free, contact vendor for price information
name: Emacs
version:
implementation language: SPL, a variant of PL/1
extension language: Lisp
scope of implementation: extensible
hardware/software requirements: Prime
organization/author:
Prime Computer, Inc.
24 Prime Park Way
Natick MA 07160
USA
+1 508 651 3342
telex 174519
telex +! 612 508 651 2769
not free, contact vendor for price information
name: EMACS-TC
version:
implementation language: C
extension language: Lisp-like
scope of implementation: extensible
hardware/software requirements: UNIX
organization/author:
AT&T Toolchest
+1 201 522 6900, then login "guest"
USA
Warren A. Montgomery
+1 708 713 5090
att!iexist!warren
not free, contact vendor for price information
name: Epsilon
version:
implementation language: C
extension language: EEL, a dialect of C
scope of implementation: extensible
hardware/software requirements: IBM PC
organization/author:
Lugaru Software Ltd.
5843 Forbes Ave
Pittsburgh PA 15217
USA
+1 412 421 5911
fax +1 412 421 6371
not free, contact vendor for price information
name: EVE (Extensible VAX Editor)
implementation language: C ?, TPU ?
extension language: TPU (Text Processing Utility)
scope of implementation: extensible
hardware/software requirements: VMS
organization/author:
Digital Equipment Corp.
?
USA
+1 ?
?
notes: (Courtesy of Juergen Nickelsen) It is not Emacs-like, but also
fully extensible. Source (TPU) is included. TPU is a programming
language for text processing etc. that is also bundled with VMS. EVE
is the next best thing to GNU Emacs on a VAX.
unofficial project, not released
name: Infinitor
version:
implementation language: C?
extension language: TPL
scope of implementation: extensible
hardware/software requirements: IBM PC
organization/author:
Agranat Systems
P.O. Box 191
Weston MA 02193
USA
+1 617 893 7868
not free, contact vendor for price information
name: ME2 (Mutt Editor II)
version: ?
implementation language: C
extension language: Mutt ("A bizarre mix of Lisp and Algol like
languages, compiled external to the editor")
scope of implementation: extensible
hardware/software requirements: UNIX, MS-DOS
organization/author:
Craig Durland
Hewlett-Packard
1000 NE Circle Blvd
Corvallis OR 97330
USA
cr...@cv.hp.com
note: experimental, not released
not free, contact vendor for price information
name: Mince / PerfectWriter / The FinalWord / FinalWordII
version:
implementation language: C
extension language: none / key rebinding only / key rebinding only/ custom
scope of implementation: command / command / command / extensible
hardware/software requirements: IBM PC, CP/M
organization/author:
Mark of the Unicorn, Inc.
222 Third Street
Cambridge MA 02139
USA
+1 617 576 2760
not free, contact vendor for price information
(only Mince for CP/M is still available)
name: Sage Professional Editor
version:
implementation language: C?
extension language: custom, C- and Awk-like
scope of implementation: extensible
hardware/software requirements: IBM PC
organization/author:
Sage Software, Inc.
1700 NW 167th Pl
Beaverton OR 97006
USA
+1 503 645 1150
fax +1 503 645 4576
not free, contact vendor for price information
name: Slick
version:
implementation language: C
extension language: Slick extension language, REXX-like
scope of implementation: extensible
hardware/software requirements: IBM PC
organization/author:
MicroEdge Inc.
P.O. Box 2367
Fairfax VA 22031
USA
+1 703 670 4575
not free, contact vendor for price information
name: SPE Editor
version:
implementation language: Lisp
extension language: Lisp
scope of implementation: extensible
hardware/software requirements: UNIX
organization/author:
Sun Microsystems, Inc.
2550 Garcia Ave
Mountain View CA 94043
USA
+1 415 960 1300
TLX 37 29639
not free, contact vendor for price information
name: Sprint
version:
implementation language: C
extension language: custom
scope of implementation: extensible
hardware/software requirements: IBM PC
organization/author:
Borland International
1800 Green Hills Rd
Scotts Valley CA 95067
USA
not free, contact vendor for price information
name: Sys-IX Editor
version:
implementation language: C?
extension language: macro
scope of implementation: command set
hardware/software requirements: UNIX, IBM PC
organization/author:
System-IX (Networks) Ltd.
55 Bedford Court Mansions
Bedford Avenue
London WC1B 3AD
UK
+44 1 636 8210
fax +44 1 255 1038
G.W. Computers Inc.
4 Eagle Square
East Boston MA 02128
USA
+1 617 569 5990
fax +1 617 567 2981
note: may not be Emacs
not free, contact vendor for price information
name: TI Explorer Emacs
version:
implementation language: Lisp
extension language: Lisp
scope of implementation: extensible
hardware/software requirements: Explorer
organization/author:
Texas Instruments
12501 Research Blvd
Austin TX 78759
USA
+1 512 250 7111
+1 800 232 3200
fax +1 512 250 6522
not free, contact vendor for price information
name: Unipress Emacs
version:
implementation language: C
extension language: MLisp
scope of implementation: extensible
hardware/software requirements: UNIX, VMS, IBM PC
organization/author:
Unipress Software Inc
2025 Lincoln Hwy
Edison NJ 08817
USA
+1 201 287 2100
fax +1 201 287 4929
telex 709418
note: was Gosling's Emacs
not free, contact vendor for price information
name: ZMACS
version:
implementation language: Lisp
extension language: Lisp
scope of implementation: extensible
hardware/software requirements: Symbolics
organization/author:
Symbolics, Inc.
8 New England Executive Park
Burlington MA 01803
USA
+1 617 221 1000
+1 800 533 7629
not free, contact vendor for price information
---------- Implementations That Are No Longer Available ----------
name: EINE, ZWEI
version:
implementation language: Lisp
extension language: Lisp
scope of implementation: extensible
hardware/software requirements: Lisp Machine
organization/author:
MIT
USA
no longer available
name: FINE
version:
implementation language: BLISS
extension language: none
scope of implementation: command set
hardware/software requirements: PDP-10
organization/author:
Mike Kazar (in 1978)
Carnegie Mellon University
USA
no longer available
name: PMATE
version:
implementation language: ?
extension language: ?
scope of implementation: ?
hardware/software requirements: IBM PC
organization/author:
?
no longer available
name: TORES
version:
implementation language: C
extension language: none
scope of implementation: command set
hardware/software requirements: UNIX
organization/author:
Jeffrey Schiller
MIT
USA
no longer available
name: tv (aka otv, SINE)
version:
implementation language: PL/1
extension language: SINE (Lisp-like)
scope of implementation: extensible
hardware/software requirements: MagicSix on Perkin-Elmer 3200series
organization/author:
MIT Architecture Machine Group
77 Massachusetts Ave
Cambridge MA 02139
USA
no longer available
name: VINE
version:
implementation language: Fortran (!)
extension language: none
scope of implementation: command set
hardware/software requirements: VMS
organization/author:
Craig Finseth
Texas Instruments
Dallas TX
USA
no longer available
Edward Keating
>
> A few years ago I heard rumors of its being released yet again as PE3, but
> I never saw any identified vendor. I suspect there have been many copies
> passed hand-to-hand; having the manual on disk makes this much easier.
> I've also seen bootlegs on some BBSs with a slightly later date than
> mine, but what this represents I don't really know. But I'm pleased to have
> one of the original magenta-labelled floppies identifying an authorized
> Personal Editor II copy.
I also have used PE2 for a number of years (and PE before that). The last
contact with PE2 was an internal version within IBM that loaded files about 4 x
faster than standard PE2 and fixed the copy to/from command line bugs.
That version was written in PASCAL and was supplied by PDS ( which was sold off by
IBM) Their number was 1-800-IBM-PCSW. They did have a product called PC3 which
was a complete rewrite by Adam Dougless (last know address uunet!crash!adamsd )
which he wrote in MSC 5.2. It wasn't as bulletproof as PE2 but had a similar
look and feel.
I still use my copy of PE2 (the unchained version that IBM Internal used) on
8088 based PC's and places were only EDLIN is available. For newer machines
where disk is no problem, I have started using Brief 3.0. It's fine for 286 and
up machines, but is a tad sluggish and requires a sizeable amount of disk on
8088 machines. Brief's search and replace features are far superior to the
limited search of PE2, but PE2 column cut paste are faster on an 8088 than
Brief on a 12.5 Mhz 286.
One feature of PE2 that is difficult to find or emulate in other editors was
the tab character use. When loading a file, tabs would be expanded to spaces at
a standard every 8 positions. When storing back to disk, non-significant spaces
would be re-compressed to tabs. The tab key did not enter tabs, but was used
to quickly move the cursor around the screen. The tabs stops would set the next
position to move the cursor but did not effect the compression of spaces to tabs
at the 8-1 ratio. This effect was fine for display or printing the files with
peripherals that understand tab expansion.
I did try to work up some Brief macros for doing this, but If you want to use
tab stops, you end up putting real tabs into the file. I have since given up
using this feature and have brief put in spaces instead of tabs.
Pe2 also removed trailing spaces from lines. You can write macro's to do this
function, but it was nice to be performed automatically.
macros to expand sources files containing tabs, but
--
A fool and his backup are soon parted.
Alex Martelli
...
>A few years ago I heard rumors of its being released yet again as PE3,
E3 was an internal program who almost replaced PE2 use inside IBM
(together with T, another unrelated PE-lookalike whose claim to fame
was incredible speed and size - 9Kbytes!); it was hugely programmable
(later internal versions of PE2 were also strong on this, using REXX
as a 'macro language', but the integrated semicompiled configuration
language of E3 was faster/smoother/cheaper in RAM terms than a full
blown REXX interpreter coresident with the editor, although REXX had
advantages in familiarity [being the macro language for VM/SP's XEDIT,
as well as one of SAA's keypoints, and popular on other systems as
well as on PCs], generality, power).
I *believe* (not sure, as I was getting out of IBM at the time) that
E3's author later left IBM, and that it is his work (probably a full
rewrite of E3?) that's now being sold as 'Multi-Edit', which another
poster mentioned.
--
Alex Martelli - CAD.LAB s.p.a., v. Stalingrado 53, Bologna, Italia
Email: (work:) st...@cadlab.sublink.org, (home:) al...@am.sublink.org
Phone: (work:) ++39 (51) 371099, (home:) ++39 (51) 250434;
Fax: ++39 (51) 366964 (work only), Fidonet: 332/401.3 (home only).
Steve Hastings
>"Personally Developed Software" marketing arm, where programs could be
>purchased on diskette for quite reasonable prices. PE2 was marketed under
>this scheme until the Personally Developed Software program was discontinued.
>A few years ago I heard rumors of its being released yet again as PE3, but
>I never saw any identified vendor.
It is my pleasure to inform the Net that PE3 is available, now. IBM did
not junk Personally Developed Software; they spun them off, and Personally
Developed Software still exists today. Their number:
800/IBM-PCSW which translates to 800/426-7279
I called that number just now and asked about the availability of PE2. "We
don't have that anymore," said the person who answered. I asked about a
newer version, such as PE3. "Oh, sure, we have that," she said. $80.
Have your credit card number ready when you call the number and you can
order over the phone.
She said they don't have a catalog anymore, but that they do have a mailing
list and they send information to people on the list.
--
Steve "I don't speak for Microsoft" Hastings ===^=== :::::
uunet!microsoft!steveha ste...@microsoft.uucp ` \\==|
Ronald S Woan
In article <6...@cadlab.sublink.ORG>, st...@cadlab.sublink.ORG (Alex
Martelli) writes:
Alex> I *believe* (not sure, as I was getting out of IBM at the time) that
Alex> E3's author later left IBM, and that it is his work (probably a full
Alex> rewrite of E3?) that's now being sold as 'Multi-Edit', which another
Alex> poster mentioned.
Actually, I believe he created the commercial Slik editor...
+-----All Views Expressed Are My Own And Are Not Necessarily Shared By------+
+------------------------------My Employer----------------------------------+
+ Ronald S. Woan wo...@peyote.cactus.org or woan%aus...@iinus1.ibm.com +
+ other email addresses Prodigy: XTCR74A Compuserve: 73530,2537 +