This question came up at the InstallFest. How do I find an editor package if I don't know the names of all the Linux editor packages! The distro in question was Slackware, but this HOW-TO applies to other distros as well.
A quick way, of course, is to ask on the PLUG list.
"Hi, I'm new here. Can anyone recommend a simple editor besides vi or emacs? I'm using Buffalo Linux."
Some one reply with, for example, "pico", or "You can edit files in Midnight Commander." Now you can run the command "whereis pico" or "man pico" to see if it is installed. OK, but what about the other one, Midnight Commander. What do I type to run that?
Well, the Slackware website has a browsable list of packages. Search on "Midnight Commander" and you'll get this:
"mc (Midnight Commander file manager) The Midnight Commander is a Norton Commander clone, a program that manipulates and manages files and directories. Useful, fast, and has color displays on the Linux console. . ."
Aah, mc! So try "man mc" to see that manpage. Humm, too cryptic. So off to
www.google.com/linux and type in "Midnight Commander" and there I see that Linux Gazette has an Intro to mc with pictures. Good! I'll spend a minute and learn the program.
O'Reilly has a nice, cheap Linux Pocket Guide out for about $7USD at Amazon, etc.
Dennisk
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