@ed1conf@bsd.network

ed(1) conference @ed1conf@bsd.network · Jun 11, 2026

Replying to @jiub@not.an.evilcyberhacker.net

@jiub@not.an.evilcyberhacker.net *coughs*

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ed(1) conference @ed1conf@bsd.network · May 08, 2026

Replying to @joXn@wandering.shop

Unironically, word processing kind of peaked with writing *roff or LaTeX in ed(1). :flan_wink: @joXn@wandering.shop @benfry@information.garden @cstross@wandering.shop @mjtsai@mastodon.social

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ed(1) conference @ed1conf@bsd.network · May 05, 2026

So apparently Microsoft VS Code has been quietly adding Co-Authored-By: Copilot attribution to commits.

In case you prefer to use an editor that will never automatically sneak things into your commits, ed(1) is here for you.

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ed(1) conference @ed1conf@bsd.network · Apr 26, 2026

Replying to @aartaka@merveilles.town

@aartaka I've heard the newline-in-g is the reason GNU made the change, but it works as expected in BSD ed without breakage: g/interesting/s/splithere/before\ after works fine, and if I want other commands, I can add them by explicitly including the delimiter: g/interesting/s/splithere/before\ after/\ -s/.*/[&] So GNU broke something specified by POSIX that I used regularly, in the name of fixing something that was never broken, and it makes me a spot grumpy

@tux0r

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ed(1) conference @ed1conf@bsd.network · Apr 26, 2026

Replying to @aartaka@merveilles.town

@aartaka I quoted the POSIX bit that states it should be optional, so in compliant versions like BSD ed : s/pattern it works fine, and I use it all the time. But in GNU ed it complains: s/pattern ? h Missing pattern delimiter A personal pet peeve when that broke (around 1.14 IIRC :flan_angry: ) @tux0r

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ed(1) conference @ed1conf@bsd.network · Apr 26, 2026

Replying to @tux0r@layer8.space

@tux0r To be fair, there are some minor differences in implementations. Things like • the x command doing encryption in some versions (has been added-then-removed in some), • GNU ed no longer allowing the omission of trailing slashes in s commands like s/regex • GNU ed offering y to yank lines and x to put lines • GNU ed provides # for script comments, but that's rejected in the other versions I have available If you stick to POSIX, the only odd-one-out is the s/regex which GNU breaks (according to POSIX, "If the closing delimiter of an RE or of a replacement string (for example, '/' ) in a g, G, s, v, or V command would be the last character before a , that delimiter can be omitted" [emphasis mine]) @aartaka edit: markdown ate less-than-sign

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ed(1) conference @ed1conf@bsd.network · Apr 01, 2026

On this day 8 years ago, @mwl@io.mwl.io released "Ed Mastery" to much ~~lamentation~~ rejoicing.

:flan_cheer:

io.mwl.io

Michael W Lucas :flan_on_fire: (@mwl@io.mwl.io) - Sufficiently Amusing Author

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ed(1) conference @ed1conf@bsd.network · Mar 04, 2026

Replying to @mntmn@mastodon.social

For whomever needs to hear this: you are not alone. I am not vibecoding any of the software I write. I write it all by hand. I have leveled up to using ed(1) on a glass TTY rather than a hardcopy-output device. I am modernizing my stacks and using languages with excellent compilers like C89. I think about how to do more with less. I am trying to combine the best human-written libraries and modules and assemble them with minimal boilerplate. I enjoy reading manuals and references. I believe in robust, secure, human-written software. @mntmn

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ed(1) conference @ed1conf@bsd.network · Feb 17, 2023

Replying to @djg@mastodon.world

@djg@mastodon.world not cryptozoology?

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ed(1) conference @ed1conf@bsd.network · May 25, 2021

Replying to @_xhr_@mastodon.social

@_xhr_ I use this all the time since discovering it and try to share it regularly. If you're looking for other obscure corners in less(1) you can use "-S" (in a running session of less) to toggle between wrapping and not-wrapping long lines. Most toggleable options can do this, so if you pipe ANSI output to less and see a bunch of "ESC" sequences, try typing "-R" to toggle ANSI-sequence processing/display. Or "-i"/"-I" to toggle case-sensitivity in searches.

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ed(1) conference @ed1conf@bsd.network · May 03, 2019

With Star Wars on the mind recently...

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ed(1) conference @ed1conf@bsd.network · Apr 26, 2018

Replying to @_tj@mastodon.social

@_tj @mwlucas @_xhr_ I guess it depends on the model. Some do have the print platen deeper down in the machinery and require multiple line-feeds to make text visible; others have served me quite well as line-printers.

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ed(1) conference @ed1conf@bsd.network · Apr 26, 2018

Replying to @mwlucas@bsd.network

@mwlucas @_xhr_ Portable receipt printers (such as those by Zebra and Epson) work quite well for such needs. RS232, Wifi, and Bluetooth options available.

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Michael W Lucas :flan_on_fire: (@mwl@io.mwl.io) - Sufficiently Amusing Author

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