Date: Thu, 08 Feb 1996 20:07:43 +1000 (EST)
   From: The Chaotic Trickster <kergma@sv.net.au>

   On Wed, 7 Feb 1996 beaubienrd@mala.bc.ca wrote:

   > >	Argh!! Why would you want to use a bloated bag of...
   > >things like emacs?!? IMHO vi beats it hands down. Besides,
   > >vi is for REAL PROGRAMMERS! :9  ;)
   > 
   > *Ugh*Vi is evil. Did some html code in it , and hated it ever since..

   Of course vi is evil.  Didn't you know that real programmers are a step 
   below BOFH's.

Hmmm, last time I checked operators can only use programs that
programmers first write....

   For this reason, only real programmers and the like know how to get
   vi out of the default mode which has been specifically designed to
   confuse non-initiates.

   Thats the mode where it seems to have two sub-modes - One where it beeps 
   at every key you press, except for the random one which shifts it into 
   the other sub-mode where every key you press is a different way to delete 
   your files.

   ;) just joking - maybe (:

Heh, here you're getting into one reason VI is objectively inferior to
Emacs and other non-moded editors.  Programs that require to you
switch between modes for fundamental operation (insertion mode and
command mode in VI's case) are fundimentally harder to use, because
their basic mental model is more complicated: you always have to keep
track of which mode you're in.  Emacs, Wordperfect, Word for Windows
and all other GUI editors I'm familiar with, and other more modern
editors are always in insertion mode, and you do commands with special
characters.

After experiencing and/or watching a variety of bad examples, I simply
won't hire programmers who've tried both and prefer VI for anything
more than a simple and quick change to few lines in one file editing
task (for which I use ed or ex, which will roughly tell you when I
started using Unix :-)

Productivity is simply too important, and RAM is too cheap to let a
valid criticism like "bloat" deter (else we'd still be programing in C
or assembler for everything).  And anyway, Emacs uses Lisp autoload
technology so that you don't have to carry all that bagage around
unless you need it; VI doesn't dream about helping you with syntax,
proper indentation style (which helps you catch syntax errors), cutting
and pasting between multiple files, etc. etc. etc.

The only use I've ever had for VI is that the navigation keys are the
same for rogue, Nethack, etc. :-)

So to become a more productive programmer/BOFH/whatever, here's
how to quickly learn Emacs (Gnu, or most any good varient):

(^-H or C-H is control H, M-H is meta or alt H)

Start it up, and start up the tutorial: ^H t

Initially focus on up, down, left and right cursor and screen movement

^@ or ^<space>, ^X^X, ^K, ^W, ^Y, and M-y commands for marking,
killing/wiping, and yanking regions of text, emacs terms for cutting
and pasting (note and remember that Emacs has a kill *ring*
rather than a kill stack).

And of course ^X^F find file, ^X^S save file, ^X^W write file to new
name, and

In case you ever get stuck in Emacs, and want *out*, ^X^C

Become familiar with the apropos command and Info subsystem, and don't
forget undo: ^_ 

And good luck!

(Disclaimer: Emacs is the only editor I've used since 1980, I've
professionally worked on several versions, and even have had Richard
Stallman as a roommate for a thankfully short time :-)

On to Fanfic:

Careful Destiny 1 is wonderful, but the ending doesn't quite work for
me; something else is required, perhaps a response by Akane....  Or
perhaps Ranma should ask her out on a date....

If you want to transition into the more familiar relationship style,
you could have for Akane an internal drama where her knight in shining
armor becomes an imperfect human being.  Working in a sort of romantic
encounter or tryst between Ranma and Akane before the fight would help
that (but would change chapter 1 a fair amount).

					- Harold