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Reply to @sirjofri@pleroma.envs.net
pfriedma@pfriedma@pfedi.pfriedma.org (2026-10-05 08:04:12)
@sirjofri
Line editors are also super handy when you're using a device that isn't so great at refreshing the whole screen, like a slow serial line
@ed1conf
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Jeff@overeducatedredneck@bitbang.social (2026-10-05 08:12:26)
@pfriedma @ed1conf @sirjofri This is why I originally learned ed(1): debugging embedded linux devices 20 years ago.  It worked over some of the worst serial line setups.

Then I started doing what the OP does to keep it under my fingers.

Then it became a lifestyle.  Particularly after I broke up a couple vi-vs-emacs debates with ED IS THE STANDARD.

Now I also find myself using it to script large numbers of small changes across a codebase (eg: moving a header file within a repo).

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sinza :netbsd: :openbsd: :freebsd: :omya_linux:@sinza@oldbytes.space (2026-10-05 08:49:38)
@overeducatedredneck @pfriedma @ed1conf @sirjofri 

ed(1) is so great for lots of things. Honestly probably the best unixy text editor to use on a modern smartphone, and that's not a joke.

I tend to take extensive advantage of vi's ed ancestry. For that alone, learning ed was a boon for me. Learning ed was like learning the command line for the first time again. I find using ex commands very often. In fact, I absolutely despise BusyBox vi for partially this reason. Only some ex commands are supported. It also doesn't play so nicely with getting standard input from the shell.