Text editor

A text editor is a piece of computer software for editing plain text. It is distinguished from a word processor in that it does not manage document formatting or other features commonly used in desktop publishing. Such programs are often bundled with an operating system or software development package, and are commonly used for editing operating system and application configuration files and programming language source code.

Some text editors are small and simple, while others offer a broad and complex range of functionality. For example, machines with Unix-like systems typically use the minimal vi, but many also use the large and feature-rich Emacs to edit text. Microsoft Windows systems use the very simple Notepad program, though many people (especially programmers) use a more complete program like TextPad[?]. For the Mac Operating System there is the native SimpleText, which was replaced, or supplemented by WorldText, and also the HTML editor BBEdit.

Well-known editors: ed, edt, edlin, Emacs, Notepad, pico, qed, Red[?] (a VAX/VMS editor, written in Forth variant STOIC[?]), sam, SimpleText, teco, Vi, and VIM.

See also: Editor wars

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External links & additional resources

The following text editors are freeware for Win95/98:

• Emacs for Windows
  • http://www.gnu.org/software/emacs/windows/ntemacs
• Editpad Lite
  • http://www.editpadpro.com/editpadlite
• Extreme pad
  • http://hammer.prohosting.com/~epgames/extremepad
• Multipad
  • http://welcome.to/emmental
• Notespad
  • Features: dictionary, text clips (like macros), makes .log file when updating your edited file, file size limited only by memory, definable file filters, font settings, configurable toolbars.
  • http://www.newbie.net/NotesPad/notespad_32
• PFE
  • http://www.lancs.ac.uk/people/cpaap/pfe/
• Quick edit
  • Features: supports accented characters, auto indent, sorting, search/replace, undo.
  • http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/john_maddock/qe.htm
• SciTE
  • Features: designed for editing source code. Supports syntax coloring, more.
  • http://www.scintilla.org
• Editplus
  • http://www.editplus.com
• Vim
  • http://www.vim.org

The following text editors are platform independent:

• JEdit
  • http://www.jedit.org
• edline, a clone of MS-DOS edlin
  • http://www.ibiblio.org/pub/micro/pc-stuff/freedos/files/dos/edline/