NetBSD and SC
=============

It seems that the NetBSD 9.3 has  a modern (7.16) version of the sc(1),
the console-only spreadsheet calculator. I was used to the older (6.22)
release  which  was  traditionally  available in  many  "classic"  UNIX
systems like the IRIX (as was included in many linux distros, too).

By modern I mean the latest stable  version (the 7.16 is from 2002), my
favorite 6.22 is a bit older  (1990s). The initial release was in 1981,
by the way.

I have  no problem with modern  stuff it it  is not worse than  the old
one. Unfortunately, there 7.x line  added some features which have made
my work harder.

The sc(1)  traditionally use  vi-like syntax  (and it  is modal  as the
vi(1) is). But some things were simpler. For example, copying of cells:
the "m" key  was used to mark the  cell and then the "c"  was enough to
copy it.

Now it is  necessary to use the  exact vi way: "ma" and  "ca" (or other
letter).  In theory  it is  an improvement  because one  can have  many
buffers for  copying. In practice  I never need  to copy more  than one
thing and time (and I am unable too remember how many buffer I made and
what stuff is in these buffers).  So this improvement only forces me to
use 2 times more keys than I needed to use in the sc 6.x.

All Linux distros have had the 7.x for ages and this was one of reasons
which I preferred to edit my spreadsheets on the BSD.

I'm not a luddite.
I'm not a luddite.
I'm not a luddite.


References:

[1] gopher://gopherpedia.com/0/Sc%20%28spreadsheet%20calculator%29