JShell tool: remove or keep default Edit Pad editor?

[Paul Deitel]

While I understand the issue of bundling Edit Pad with respect to modularization, as an author of introductory computer programming texts, like Java How to Program, command line REPL is much less useful for beginners if they have to try to figure out how to edit something like a complete class definition from the command line. 

If possible, I’d recommend somehow providing access to a more robust cross-platform editor—perhaps something like jEdit (jedit.org). If not, perhaps the modularized JShell could provide an option that enables Edit Pad if someone wants to use it.

If you do keep Edit Pad, here are some changes I’d like to see to make it slightly nicer:

a. Use a fixed-width code font for readability

b. Use a bigger font size or provide controls for changing the font size--the current size is tiny and hard to read

c. Add 5-10 pixels of padding between the textbox containing the code and the window border—right now the left edge of the code is right up against the window’s border, again making the code hard to read.

d. Separate each snippet from the next by a blank line.

Thanks,
Paul