If WASM+WASI existed in 2008, we wouldn't have needed to created Docker. That's how important it is. Webassembly on the server is the future of computing. A standardized system interface was the missing link. Let's hope WASI is up to the task! https://t.co/wnXQg4kwa4

— Solomon Hykes (@solomonstre) March 27, 2019

And now there is a very cool new video out that seems to promise something like a development in this direction:

This is project’s homepage is here: https://boxer.dev/

The goal seems to be a new primitive for development like Docker containers were. This is not the only project out there for Wasm on the server of course, but the connection to Docker seemed apparent and worth posting about.

Also, happy Earth Day!🌎🌱

Another holiday, another collage.

Clip art from OPENCLIPART.

Clip art from OPENCLIPART. Photo by Birgith Roosipuu on Unsplash

Ghostty is a new terminal emulator that is being talked about and I haven’t tried it yet, but the terminal multiplexing feature with panes that function like that of Tmux is what I find really intriguing. This is the feature that I find compelling about WezTerm as well and I would really like to have it, since using Tmux is great but introduces annoying complexity around key bindings and text scrolling that interrupt the natural flow I get from using a native feeling UI, such as what I get from using Gnome-terminal for example.

But I don’t really have a desire to install multiple terminal emulators. Even if I was back on MacOS I’d prefer to use the built-in stock terminal application generally. I would most likely begrudgingly succumb to installing iTerm2 eventually, with resistance.

However I’ve found that using the vterm package in Emacs is my new way to use a terminal. I have it bound to C-c v and I can open any number of n terminals with C-u like C-u 2 C-c v or C-u 2 M-x vterm. Then when needed I can use M-x vterm-copy-mode to move around the terminal like a text file. It’s trivial to have the buffer inserted into any another buffer: C-x x i. The only feature I miss is being able to click on URLs to open them in a web browser, as well as being able to run a nested instance of Emacs (without being unable to exit out of it)!

So not only is Emacs the best text editor, but Emacs might be the best terminal emulator too. I highly recommend it for Emacs aficionados that frequently use a terminal. The vterm package provides a slightly more robust terminal than what the buitin term command provides.

This is my config for vterm, note that 100000 is the max value unless you fiddle with a header file before compiling.

(setq vterm-max-scrollback 100000)
(global-set-key (kbd "C-c v") 'vterm)