Archive of UserLand's first discussion group, started October 5, 1998.

Re: One program to read, another to write

Author:Avram Grumer
Posted:6/23/1999; 2:16:55 PM
Topic:Hidden failure of Win2k
Msg #:7742 (In response to 7723)
Prev/Next:7741 / 7743

Sean wrote: 

> A text editor is just a browser (displaying text) with some extra
> buttons that do stuff, so why not a browser that becomes an editor
> when you add those buttons to it?

I don't think I agree with your characterization of text editors. I think "browser" has a more specific meaning than just "a program that displays text." A web browser displays marked-up text, as well as graphics and whatever else has been stuffed into a plug-in or baked into the app. A text editor displays text, and has lots of powerful tools for editing text. Designing a good text editor takes lots of work. Designing a good browser takes lots of work. Designing something that does both well, I think the amount of work multiplies rather than just adding.

In general, I find that small programs that each concentrate on doing one thing well, and communicate with each other through an open, non-proprietary standard, work better than bloated swiss-army-knife apps that try to be everything to everybody.

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