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Why is the terminal input so weird?

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Re: Why is the terminal input so weird?

#11

Post by puffoflogic »

apetresc wrote: post #2

I can edit the terminal input line with full vim-mode in my shell (zsh). In fact, in normal mode I can even hit 'v' and edit the line in a full vim session to zip around however I want, do completions, etc. It's pretty close to the platonic ideal method of input I could imagine.

The biggest problem with zsh's vim mode is it's actually vi mode. I constantly want "])" and "aw" motions but they're not implemented :(

But, like, this is obviously an entirely different class of problem from TFA, which is a skill issue.

Re: Why is the terminal input so weird?

#12

Post by theblazehen »

drcongo wrote: post #8

I have one question about terminal input that I cannot work out how to work out. The setup: I'm on a Mac, I use iTerm for my terminal, Fish for my shell, and most often I'm inside a docker container also running Fish and using iPython. The question: When I Ctrl+W to delete a word in a Fish prompt, what counts as a word is different to what counts as a word in iPython. For instance, Ctrl+w at the end of this string `t…

> I'm guessing that the rough flow of the delete word signal is iTerm -> Fish -> iPython and that iPython is the thing that's being overzealous?

Almost correct. Once you launch iPython, Fish is out of the picture until you quit iPython. However yes iPython does handle Ctrl-W differently from your shell

Re: Why is the terminal input so weird?

#14

Post by danny_warp »

Warp currently requires a login to enable cloud-based features, like A.I. Command Search and Block Sharing, along with team features on the roadmap.

In case there was any confusion, Warp never sends the contents of terminal commands and outputs to our servers (unless a user explicitly chooses to use the "Block Sharing" feature).

What Warp currently sends in regard to telemetry is listed here: https://docs.warp.dev/getting-started/privacy#exhaustive-tel....

Re: Why is the terminal input so weird?

#15

Post by 0xbadcafebee »

> This post is about why terminal-based input seems stuck in the 80s

It's actually more 60s/70s, when the first terminals, command-line prompts, and shells were built. The reason why it's stuck there is technology has only improved iteratively rather than revolutionarily. The "lets add another layer of abstraction" form of innovation, rather than outside-the-box thinking and reinvention.

The fact that we still write software by hand using lines of source code in a text editor is pretty ridiculous to me. It's not that far removed from punch cards.

Re: Why is the terminal input so weird?

#16

Post by danny_warp »

smoldesu wrote: post #3

As much as I'd like to encourage the rethinking of input methods, any terminal with a "Pricing" page is an instant nope from me. My current terminal is Open Source and while it's not perfect, it's also Free. That matters more to me than mouse input or IDE autosuggestions. If you're going to treat Linux users as a second-class citizen and charge for corporate usage, who are you hoping your target audience will be? Fra…

The app is 100% free for any and all individuals. The business plan is to create collaborative and cloud-based features that businesses will be willing to pay for. Please check out our pricing page to learn more.

Please note that our business model is not about collecting and monetizing any of your personal data.

https://www.warp.dev/privacy

Re: Why is the terminal input so weird?

#18

Post by lordleft »

Guys, it doesn't matter if you can edit terminal input in vim. If there's a way to do it in an even more ergonomic / user-friendly way, that's not intrinsically a bad thing. This entire comment thread makes us sound like tech-grognards.

Warp's pricing model is a whole other issue though.

Re: Why is the terminal input so weird?

#20

Post by [deleted] »

danny_warp wrote: post #14

Warp currently requires a login to enable cloud-based features, like A.I. Command Search and Block Sharing, along with team features on the roadmap. In case there was any confusion, Warp never sends the contents of terminal commands and outputs to our servers (unless a user explicitly chooses to use the "Block Sharing" feature). What Warp currently sends in regard to telemetry is listed here: https://docs.warp.dev/ge…

[deleted]
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