CSCI 3294 (Seminar: UNIX Power Tools), Fall 2016:
Homework 4

Credit:

20 points.

Reading

(As described in problems.)

Honor Code Statement

Please include with each part of the assignment the Honor Code pledge or just the word ``pledged'', plus one or more of the following about collaboration and help (as many as apply).¹Text in italics is explanatory or something for you to fill in. For written assignments, it should go right after your name and the assignment number; for programming assignments, it should go in comments at the start of your program.

• This assignment is entirely my own work.
• This assignment is entirely my own work, except for portions I got from the assignment itself (some programming assignments include ``starter code'') or sample programs for the course (from which you can borrow freely -- that's what they're for).
• I worked with names of other students on this assignment.
• I got help with this assignment from source of help -- ACM tutoring, another student in the course, the instructor, etc.
• I got significant help from outside source -- a book other than the textbook (give title and author), a Web site (give its URL), etc.. (``Significant'' here means more than just a little assistance with tools -- you don't need to tell me that you looked up an error message on the Web, but if you found an algorithm or a code sketch, tell me about that.)
• I provided significant help to names of students on this assignment. (``Significant'' here means more than just a little assistance with tools -- you don't need to tell me about helping other students decipher compiler error messages, but beyond that, do tell me.)

Problems

Answer the following questions. You may write out your answers by hand or using a word processor or other program, but please submit hard copy, either in class or in one of my mailboxes (outside my office or in the ASO).

Text editors; vi and emacs

1. (8 points) Spend at least half an hour (more if you have the time and interest) working through the vim tutorial and/or reading other parts of the online help. Start the tutorial by typing vimtutor at the command prompt. Access online help by typing :help or :help sometopic; exit help by typing :q. Then tell me at least two things you learned that you didn't know before and you think you might find useful. (You were probably asked in a previous class to work through some of the tutorial. If so, read further in it than you have before.)

2. (8 points) Repeat the previous question, but with the emacs tutorial and/or online help. Start it by typing emacs -nw and then control-h followed by t. Access online help as described in the tutorial. (Without -nw, emacs will create a new window if it can. That can be interesting -- in fact you should probably try it -- but for this assignment I ask that you use the text-only version.) (If you have already read part of this tutorial for a previous class, read further in it than you have before.)

3. (4 points) Which editor do you feel more inclined to learn more about at this point (considering features, ease of use, etc.). Why? (``Neither'' is an acceptable answer if you explain why!)

Footnotes

... apply).¹

Credit where credit is due: I based the wording of this list on a posting to a SIGCSE mailing list. SIGCSE is the ACM's Special Interest Group on CS Education.