GNU nano: Difference between revisions
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'''Nano''' is a [[text editor]] for [[Unix]] and [[Unix-like]] systems, licensed under the [[GNU General Public License]]. It is a [[free software]] clone of [[Pico (text editor)|Pico]], the editor of the [[Pine (email client)|Pine]] email client. Nano aims to emulate the functionality and easy-to-use interface of Pico, but does not have the tight mailer integration of the Pine/Pico package. |
'''Nano''' is a [[text editor]] for [[Unix]] and [[Unix-like]] systems, licensed under the [[GNU General Public License]]. It is a [[free software]] clone of [[Pico (text editor)|Pico]], the editor of the [[Pine (email client)|Pine]] email client. Nano aims to emulate the functionality and easy-to-use interface of Pico, but does not have the tight mailer integration of the Pine/Pico package. |
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It was first created in [[1999]] under the name ''TIP'' (''TIP isn't Pico'') by Chris Allegretta. His motivation was to create a free software replacement for Pico, since neither it nor Pine were distributed under a [[free software license]]. The name was officially changed to Nano on [[January 10]], [[2000]] because of a name conflict with another Unix program. In [[February]], [[2001]], Nano became an official part of the [[GNU]] project. |
It was first created in [[1999]] under the name ''TIP'' (''TIP isn't Pico'') by Chris Allegretta. His motivation was to create a free software replacement for Pico, since neither it nor Pine were distributed under a [[free software license]]. The name was officially changed to Nano on [[January 10]], [[2000]] because of a name conflict with another Unix program. The name ''nano'' probably comes from the [[SI prefixes]] where it is 10<sup>-9</sup>, 100 times bigger than ''pico'', 10<sup>-12</sup>. ''See [[Template:SI prefixes]] for more info.'' In [[February]], [[2001]], Nano became an official part of the [[GNU]] project. |
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More recently, Nano has added some features that Pico lacks, including colored text, [[regular expression]] search and replace, smooth scrolling, and multiple buffers. |
More recently, Nano has added some features that Pico lacks, including colored text, [[regular expression]] search and replace, smooth scrolling, and multiple buffers. |
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Revision as of 07:27, 9 August 2005
 Nano 1.2.5 | |
| Developer(s) | Chris Allegretta and others |
|---|---|
| Stable release | |
| Repository | |
| Operating system | Unix |
| Type | Text editor |
| License | GPL |
| Website | nano-editor.org |
Nano is a text editor for Unix and Unix-like systems, licensed under the GNU General Public License. It is a free software clone of Pico, the editor of the Pine email client. Nano aims to emulate the functionality and easy-to-use interface of Pico, but does not have the tight mailer integration of the Pine/Pico package.
It was first created in 1999 under the name TIP (TIP isn't Pico) by Chris Allegretta. His motivation was to create a free software replacement for Pico, since neither it nor Pine were distributed under a free software license. The name was officially changed to Nano on January 10, 2000 because of a name conflict with another Unix program. The name nano probably comes from the SI prefixes where it is 10-9, 100 times bigger than pico, 10-12. See Template:SI prefixes for more info. In February, 2001, Nano became an official part of the GNU project.
More recently, Nano has added some features that Pico lacks, including colored text, regular expression search and replace, smooth scrolling, and multiple buffers.
On August 11, 2003, Chris Allegretta officially handed maintenance of Nano's unstable branch to David Lawrence Ramsey.[1]
Future versions of Nano intend to add UTF-8 support, undo, and rebindable keys.
Control keys
Instead of being mouse-oriented, Nano, like Pico, is controlled with control keys. For example, Control-O saves the current file; key combination "CTRL + W" and then "CTRL + T" stands for the "goto line" function, et cetera. Nano puts a two-line "shortcut bar" at the bottom of the screen, listing many of the commands available in the current context. For a complete list, Control-G gets the help screen.
Unlike Pico, Nano uses meta keys to toggle its behavior. For example, Meta-S toggles smooth scrolling mode on and off. Almost all features that can be selected from the command line can be dynamically toggled.
See also
External links
- The GNU Nano Homepage
- Stable GNU nano 1.2.5 released May 15, 2005
- Unstable GNU nano 1.3.8 released June 30, 2005