Date: Wed, 25 Apr 2012 08:55:55 +0200 From: Polytropon <freebsd@edvax.de> To: Anton Shterenlikht <mexas@bristol.ac.uk> Cc: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Subject: Re: editor that understands CTRL/B, CTRL/I, CTRL/U Message-ID: <20120425085555.36f91b3a.freebsd@edvax.de> In-Reply-To: <20120425064507.GA4673@mech-cluster241.men.bris.ac.uk> References: <20120424175026.GD1303@mech-cluster241.men.bris.ac.uk> <201204241833.q3OIXwTR013401@mail.r-bonomi.com> <20120424190227.GA1773@mech-cluster241.men.bris.ac.uk> <20120425053133.e920b091.freebsd@edvax.de> <20120425064507.GA4673@mech-cluster241.men.bris.ac.uk>
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On Wed, 25 Apr 2012 07:45:07 +0100, Anton Shterenlikht wrote: > On Wed, Apr 25, 2012 at 05:31:33AM +0200, Polytropon wrote: > > On Tue, 24 Apr 2012 20:02:27 +0100, Anton Shterenlikht wrote: > > > On Tue, Apr 24, 2012 at 01:33:58PM -0500, Robert Bonomi wrote: > > > > > > > > > Date: Tue, 24 Apr 2012 18:50:26 +0100 > > > > > From: Anton Shterenlikht <mexas@bristol.ac.uk> > > > > > To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org > > > > > Subject: editor that understands CTRL/B, CTRL/I, CTRL/U > > > > > > > > > > My daughter is doing a touch typing course > > > > > that presumes MS Word. So far she was fine > > > > > with pico, but now they want the kids to > > > > > practice CTRL/B (bold), CTRL/I (italic), > > > > > CTRL/U (underline). She really needs to use > > > > > these particular combinations because that > > > > > is how the on-line assessment tool is set out. > > > > > > > > > > I use nothing but vi, so have no clue which, > > > > > if any, editor from ports/editors will have > > > > > these particular combinations implemented. > > > > > > > > > > Please recommend one, preferably as simple > > > > > and as small as possible. > > > > > > > > Sorry *NO* 'text editor' has those capabilities, let alone has > > > > them on those key sequences. > > > > > > > > Those are 'word processor' functions. word processor' software > > > > is required. > > > > > > I know, I know.. > > > > Seems that your "better paid friends" at the board of > > education do _not_ know. :-) > > > > > > > > > I don't know why in a touchtyping course > > > you need to teach kids this, but.. > > > > WHAT? Let me get some food, I need to barf. What does this > > have to do with touchtyping? What an educational ballast > > are they teaching? > > > > > > > > > Anyway, abiword seems to do what I need. > > > > > > Let me know if there's anything lighter. > > > > I'm not aware of anything lighter in the realm of word > > processors. All "alternatives" are full office suites, > > so the "single purpose" AbiWord (with less dependencies) > > should be the closest match and the most efficient one. > > > > It is even "file-compatible" with proprietary MICROS~1 > > products and offers a lot of the look & feel (which > > contradicts "blind" touchtyping) of "Word", at least > > some _older_ versions of it. > > > > Teaching children an outdated version of some program > > (which it _will_ be when they leave school) is not a good > > idea. It creates confision and inefficient handling of > > the wrong tools to do a job. > > > > "I want this to be a heading, I'm at... chapter 3.5 now, > > okay... this is 3.6 then. Then I select the text with the > > mouse... wait... okay, now [B] as I need a fat typeface, > > and maybe... make the text bigger... 15pt should be fine, > > no, 17 pt is better. Some spaces here... space space space > > space space, now it is centered. Good. Return Return Return, > > and now I can start with the text." > > > > Compare that _typical_ approach to simply applying the style > > "Heading 2". And imagine the fun of changing font face, font > > size or enumeration. :-) > > calm down man.. I'll keep calm and carry on. :-) > It's not too bad. > > On the positive side, she only needed this 2/3 into > the course, when she can touch type already. Other > extra things they teach kids in the course are how > to write an informal letter or a job application - skills > that most UK school leavers haven't got. Really? And I thought Germany was bad in this regards... Encouraging those skills is a very positive aspects, and touchtyping will be handy for everyone who will work with computers in a professional career. > sure, if I were designing the touch typing course, > it would be different - I taught myself with > games/gtypist, but.. I taught myself with a mechanical typewriter. :-) > On the other side, I have to admit, that overall > things with computer education in the UK are bad. > A report published by the Royal Society (UK > equivalent of an Academy of Sciences in other > countries) in January 2012 is tellingly entitled: > > Computing in Schools: Shut down or restart? > > and starts with: > > The current delivery of Computing education > in many UK schools is highly unsatisfactory. > > and then goes: > > many pupils are not inspired by what they > are taught and gain nothing beyond basic > digital literacy skills such as how to use > a word-processor or a database. > > It's a pretty depressing read: > > http://royalsociety.org/education/policy/computing-in-schools/report/ > > Anyway, those of us in a position to affect > kids computer education, should do it, but > it's an uphill battle. Thanks for that article, it's really sad. One of the main problems is (in my opinion) that GENERIC SKILLS aren't recognozed with the big importane they have. With them, a pupil can educate himself _regardless_ of the current program or operating system. Understanding the basic things "under the hood" is important to get those skills. They include even such stupid things like reading and understanding, as well as concluding or extrapolating. Being tied to _one_ specific implementation of some kind of program (e. g. _one_ outdated word processor) does not grow those skills. However, there is no real way to raise the _interest_ of a pupil in those things, given the fact that we live in a world of PCs and smart- phones everywhere, a world of arbitraryness, of "just works" and of "even stupid can do it". There seems to be no understanding of the fact that when "just works" fails, only generic knowledge will lead to a solution of a problem. This continues in the "professional" world where the belief that you can "buy everything" extends to knowledge, experience, time and success. Less and less "knowing" persons will be present in such a system, leading to the development of IT being a "mysterious thing of magic". This will of course be something that will materialize in the "long run", not right today. But the decisions of today will determine the future. (It can be different - I know it, I did live in a country that _was_ different.) -- Polytropon Magdeburg, Germany Happy FreeBSD user since 4.0 Andra moi ennepe, Mousa, ...
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