Re: bug in ed-0.3/ed-0.4

[Paul Jackson]

Claudio wrote:
> I think we should put ed in
> unmaintained state again :(

That sounds like a good idea to me.

Those of us left using 'ed' are doing so because we have very specific
uses and purposes.  Maintaining essentially perfect compatibility is
Job Number One.  There are -no-, -zilch- features that would justify
rewriting half the code, because in doing so, it is essentially
impossible to avoid inadvertent changes in corner case behaviour.

If you can't deal with the code 'as is' in ed 0.2, then I vote you
don't deal with it.

Changes, if any, should be done by small patches, that clearly
accomplish one useful thing, with essentially zero side affects.  No
changes in coding style or program structure.  For one thing, any such
wholesale changes break the private patches I have carried against 'ed'
for the last 20 years.

If you really have a hankering to write a better line oriented text
editor, feel free to take the 'ed' source, rename it, and have a blast,
in whatever way is allowed by its source license.

"If it was good enough for Ken and Dennis 35 years ago, it's good enough
for me now."

-- 
                  I won't rest till it's the best ...
                  Programmer, Linux Scalability
                  Paul Jackson <address@hidden> 1.925.600.0401