Emacs for the VAX.
ucbvax!editor-p
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In-Reply-To: The message of 6 Jan 1983 14:12:36-EST from joej at CCA-UNIX
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VAX-NIL hackers/users at MIT and VAX users in the AI-LAB have been
doing most of their editing on PDP-10's using real ITS EMACS, or on
LispMachines. This is because we depend a lot on high performance
and sophisticated features, and because the local area network
(CHAOSNET) makes the file transfers to and from the VAX's trivial.
On the VAX itself most get by with EDT using an init file to set up
basic ITS EMACS keybindings rather than a more sophisticated editor.
That is not to say we aren't ignoring better editors; it is just that
we didn't want to expend much effort in other editors which have
restricted availability and extendability.
However, now I can announce an editor which will have the same
distribution policy as Stallman's ITS/TOPS-20 Emacs (that is, in the
public domain), which aims at being as extensible as Multics Emacs
(which has a reputation for making editor programming in lisp
accessible to everyone), which is coded using the most modern
programming technology we have at our disposal, and finally, which
uses echo-negotiation, remote-editing protocal, and other techniques,
so that it will be efficient enough (using as little machine
resources per user as possible) to gain acceptance in all
environments.
The purpose of this note:
Question (1): What sites could use such an editor, given a release
date of July 1983?
Question (2): What sites could use such an editor without much
efficiency "bumming?" Also, one that will be doing single
character I/O and process-level echoing? (Same situation as
the editors developed under Unix).
Question (3): What interested hackers may be available?
We have something running now which is usable for editing source
files on our VAX here, so the answers to the questions will greatly
influence design decisions and plans relating to distribution and
general usability.
-GJC