Things that could be done to improve vi

[David Brown]

> 1. An on-screen mode indicator, so that you know whether you're in a text
> entry mode or a command mode.  

PC/VI (a very nice version of vi for the IBM PC and compatibles from
Custom Software Systems) does this.

> 2. A software caps-lock function that would shift all alpha keys typed in
> a text-entry mode to upper case. 

You could input your text in lower case and then use tr to translate it
to upper case, either after you exit vi, or within vi with !}tr 'a-z' 'A-Z'
(for a paragraph),  !]]tr 'a-z' 'A-Z' (for the current line through the
end of the file),  ![[tr 'a-z' 'A-Z' (for the current line through the start
of the file).

> A way to tell if the file has been modified.

^G will tell you this.


-- 
	David Brown	 (415) 945-2199
	Varian Instruments 2700 Mitchell Dr.  Walnut Creek, Ca. 94598
	{ptsfa,lll-crg,zehntel,dual,amd,fortune,ista,rtech,csi}!varian!david