Dealing with the Unix Copy and Paste Paradigm?

MolecularBear asks: "I grew up on Windows machines, using the ol' ctrl-c to copy and ctrl-v to paste. For the past few years I've been a hardcore Linux user, running it almost exclusively at home and at work. As I am sure you are all aware, highlighting text in Linux automatically performs a copy while the middle mouse button performs a paste. The Ctrl-c, Ctrl-v standard works in many applications, but not all. Lately I have begun to find the automatic highlight-copy to be annoying. As in, I'll highlight text to copy it, then realize I want to highlight a block of text for the purpose of deleting it. Of course, the second highlighting overwrites the first highlighting. I am curious about how other people accomplish their copy/paste needs. Any special setups, applications, or words of wisdom?"

Comments

Emacs

[Yonkeltron]

I believe using Emacs will solve this problem.

Windows' copy and paste is broken

[Stalin]

Every time I select something and then middle click to paste it in a Windows application nothing happens. Unless I am trying to paste a URL in to a browser window, then I get some annoying cursor that moves the current page up and down instead of sending the browser the URL I want to view.

Don't even get me started on the brokenness of the title bar and window decorations. Sheesh!

Re:Oh boy

[kyz]

Scenario: I've got xterm open, chatting with friends. Somebody sends the room a URL.

Windows way: I highlight and hit CTRL+C to copy

Ah, I see you don't have a Windows terminal window open, because that wouldn't work. You'd have to do Alt-Space, E, K, highlight the area with the mouse, Keypad Enter.

So say thank-you for your special non Microsoft Windows terminal emulator.

Personally, I would just select with the mouse in X, which is actually one action, not "so fluid as to be practically one action", pop over to my Mozilla window, hit Ctrl-T for a new tab, paste directly into the empty URL bar and press return.

But then, I never have to use Windows, so I don't have to make my habits cross-platform. I do use the MacOS X, where I've learnt to Command-C, go to Mozilla, Command-T, Command-V, Enter.