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points by codedokode 16 hours ago | 0 comments

Why are they using weird key combinations instead of traditional Ctrl + S, Ctrl + A, Ctrl + C used in desktop applications? Why every console program wants to be a special snowflake and not use standard key combinations, please explain. I do not care that 40 years ago someone used Ctrl + C to send SIGINT, it is 2026 now.

[–] elehack 15 hours ago

Atto's default key bindings match Emacs, which is about as standard as you get for non-modal editing keys in older Unix traditions.

[–] pjmlp 15 hours ago

I would assert Wordstar style are equally as old.

[–] Narishma 14 hours ago

But are mostly forgotten while emacs keybindings are still popular and found in all kinds of places you wouldn't expect, like MacOS textboxes.

[–] pjmlp 14 hours ago

Not when using joe, for example.

[–] anthk 9 hours ago

jmacs.

[–] jruohonen 11 hours ago

> match Emacs

For many, it is indeed about what they call "muscle memory". Almost impossible to change after so many years. And therefore I hope everyone would provide keybinding alternatives generally (shouldn't be that hard).

[–] cowlevel 15 hours ago

and isn't at all beginner friendly

[–] codedokode 15 hours ago

Emacs is probably older than me why should we care about what they used in 80s?

[–] MonkeyClub 15 hours ago

I see you’re using Latin characters...

[–] knorker 13 hours ago

It's 2026, why would anyone want to use an Intel architecture?

Or ARM? It's from the 1980s! So old!

[–] pjmlp 15 hours ago

Depends, do you care about UNIX and C, as products from 1970's?

[–] codedokode 14 hours ago

UNIX doesn't exist anymore, and C has lot of negative points (easy to create buffer overflows, integer overflows, use-after-free, and other vulnerabilities).

[–] pjmlp 14 hours ago

It surely does, Linux distros, BSDs, Aix, z/UNIX are all alive and well.

Despite all those flaws, people keep writing new software in C every day, go figure.

[–] anthk 3 hours ago

Then use Redox OS, or convince Torvalds to merge Asterinas' memory handling code into Linux.

[–] currysausage 15 hours ago

You might enjoy the new Microsoft Edit [1].

[1] https://github.com/microsoft/edit

[–] superbaconman 15 hours ago

I think you're underestimating just how "standard" many of the shortcuts are when mapped against a standard shell.

[–] codedokode 14 hours ago

"Standard shell" also should allow Ctrl + C for copying, it makes no sense to use a different combination for console.

[–] basscomm 13 hours ago

Okay, but now you have to modify the shell and configure a different shortcut for SIGINT without stepping on something else.

[–] codedokode 13 hours ago

Is this problem a Nobel prize level problem?

[–] knorker 13 hours ago

55 years of a standard, but then you come and say that the standard should be something else.

That's… not what "standard" means.

[–] athorax 15 hours ago

These are about as standard as you can get when it comes to Unix keybindings

[–] knorker 13 hours ago

> I do not care that 40 years ago someone used Ctrl + C to send SIGINT, it is 2026 now.

Not "40 years ago". Non-stop all day every day for 55 years.

The fact that you personally don't use it today is as irrelevant as if you were ranting about "why doesn't Linux have a Start menu!? It's 2026!!!"

[–] jhgb 12 hours ago

How is Ctrl+S "more traditional" than C-x C-s? C-x C-s is like 50 years old by now. Surely that qualifies as "traditional".

[–] insanetake 15 hours ago

These key combinations have been used for 50 years, so I'm not sure why you call them non-standard. They're just a different standard from what you're used to.

[–] boricj 15 hours ago

That sounds like Emacs. Wouldn't know though, given that I dislike vim too.

I would prefer ms-edit or nano if I have to edit text files from the terminal.

[–] lostmsu 7 hours ago

msedit ftw

Honestly after VSCode ate a good chunk of vim and emacs users I am not sure why something with similar UX but in terminal is not the standard yet in every *nix. Talk about sunken cost fallacy.

[–] rustyhancock 15 hours ago

Because this isn't beginner friendly it's a new micro Emacs and those are standard libreadline/emacs bindings.