[unix-history] / .ref-BSD-3 / usr / doc / adv.ed / ae1

.NH
INTRODUCTION
.PP
Although
.UX
provides remarkably effective tools for text editing,
that by itself is no guarantee
that everyone will automatically
make the most effective use of them.
In particular, people who are not computer specialists _
typists, secretaries, casual users _
often use the system less effectively than they might.
.PP
This document is intended as a sequel to
.ul
A Tutorial Introduction to the UNIX Text Editor
[1],
providing explanations and examples of how to edit with less effort.
(You should also be familiar with the material in
.ul
UNIX For Beginners
[2].)
Further information on all commands discussed here can be found in
.ul
The UNIX Programmer's Manual
[3].
.PP
Examples are based on observations
of users
and the difficulties they encounter.
Topics covered include special characters in searches and substitute commands,
line addressing, the global commands,
and line moving and copying.
There are also brief discussions of
effective use
of related tools, like those for file manipulation,
and those based on
.UL ed ,
like
.UL grep 
and
.UL sed .
.PP
A word of caution.
There is only one way to learn to use something,
and that is to
.ul
use
it.
Reading a description is no substitute
for trying something.
A paper like this one should
give you ideas about what to try,
but until you actually try something,
you will not learn it.
Commit	Line	Data
8340f87c BJ	1	.NH
	2	INTRODUCTION
	3	.PP
	4	Although
	5	.UX
	6	provides remarkably effective tools for text editing,
	7	that by itself is no guarantee
	8	that everyone will automatically
	9	make the most effective use of them.
	10	In particular, people who are not computer specialists _
	11	typists, secretaries, casual users _
	12	often use the system less effectively than they might.
	13	.PP
	14	This document is intended as a sequel to
	15	.ul
	16	A Tutorial Introduction to the UNIX Text Editor
	17	[1],
	18	providing explanations and examples of how to edit with less effort.
	19	(You should also be familiar with the material in
	20	.ul
	21	UNIX For Beginners
	22	[2].)
	23	Further information on all commands discussed here can be found in
	24	.ul
	25	The UNIX Programmer's Manual
	26	[3].
	27	.PP
	28	Examples are based on observations
	29	of users
	30	and the difficulties they encounter.
	31	Topics covered include special characters in searches and substitute commands,
	32	line addressing, the global commands,
	33	and line moving and copying.
	34	There are also brief discussions of
	35	effective use
	36	of related tools, like those for file manipulation,
	37	and those based on
	38	.UL ed ,
	39	like
	40	.UL grep
	41	and
	42	.UL sed .
	43	.PP
	44	A word of caution.
	45	There is only one way to learn to use something,
	46	and that is to
	47	.ul
	48	use
	49	it.
	50	Reading a description is no substitute
	51	for trying something.
	52	A paper like this one should
	53	give you ideas about what to try,
	54	but until you actually try something,
	55	you will not learn it.