I intend to write at least a small version of this.
There are a couple of existing “Emacs-in-Racket” projects which I may borrow code or ideas from.
The older one is https://github.com/tonyg/rmacs, which runs but is not in a state where it's really usable for anything, and there is a newer https://github.com/soegaard/remacs which I have never gotten to run on a Linux system.
Essentially my plan is to make an Emacs-like editor with a line-editor interface for my embedded-in-Racket shell, Rash (https://rash-lang.org).
Of course, I will also make a TUI interface, like terminal Emacs, and while I probably won't write it myself, I would leave it open to have a GUI interface as well, and generally be embeddable in arbitrary Racket programs that need an editor component.
While I don't have the time or will to really make something that could compete with Emacs as a general-purpose editor, or seriously try to implement a `#lang elisp` to give Emacs compatability, I think building an Emacs-like editor in Racket with an actual function that people will use (better line editing for Racket, Rash, other Racket languages) could give people enough reason to hack on it themselves that it could grow and be useful at least as a line editor.
Additionally, I have some ideas on plugin sandboxing I would like to try out.
In other words, while I would obviously just have an interpreter with which you could run arbitrary code to modify the editor, like Emacs but with Racket code in any #lang, I also may add an API using Racket's sandboxing features so that you can run extensions with limited, explicit privileges.
I want to be able to run extension code written by internet randos without auditing it, but trust that it won't steal my ssh keys and such.
That said, I'm trying to finish my PhD and I haven't even done any direct work on Rash itself for a while.
My advisor says “your editor should be your first side project after graduating”, and I agree with him.
So my Emacs-in-Racket may yet be eternal vaporware, and even if it isn't, advanced features that I want might not make the cut when I actually determine how much time I can commit to it.
We'll see.
At any rate, even if other people do it first and better, I'm likely to make a small version of this some day just because I want to -- I've already written my own terminal emulator in Racket (which works but is slow, and I don't recommend anybody use it), and my own shell in Racket (which is awesome, and I do recommend people use it, at least for scripting, and eventually I will develop it further [contributors welcome!]), so naturally I need to make my own editor as well.
Rash looks great. You honestly sound way more qualified to do this than I do. It makes me happy to hear that so many people have had the same idea/wanted the same thing. Racket is uniquely positioned to do this. I would definitely be interested in the GUI portion of this. Who knows maybe one day something will appear in a Racket News blog post ;)
Essentially my plan is to make an Emacs-like editor with a line-editor interface for my embedded-in-Racket shell, Rash (https://rash-lang.org). Of course, I will also make a TUI interface, like terminal Emacs, and while I probably won't write it myself, I would leave it open to have a GUI interface as well, and generally be embeddable in arbitrary Racket programs that need an editor component. While I don't have the time or will to really make something that could compete with Emacs as a general-purpose editor, or seriously try to implement a `#lang elisp` to give Emacs compatability, I think building an Emacs-like editor in Racket with an actual function that people will use (better line editing for Racket, Rash, other Racket languages) could give people enough reason to hack on it themselves that it could grow and be useful at least as a line editor.
Additionally, I have some ideas on plugin sandboxing I would like to try out. In other words, while I would obviously just have an interpreter with which you could run arbitrary code to modify the editor, like Emacs but with Racket code in any #lang, I also may add an API using Racket's sandboxing features so that you can run extensions with limited, explicit privileges. I want to be able to run extension code written by internet randos without auditing it, but trust that it won't steal my ssh keys and such.
That said, I'm trying to finish my PhD and I haven't even done any direct work on Rash itself for a while. My advisor says “your editor should be your first side project after graduating”, and I agree with him. So my Emacs-in-Racket may yet be eternal vaporware, and even if it isn't, advanced features that I want might not make the cut when I actually determine how much time I can commit to it. We'll see.
At any rate, even if other people do it first and better, I'm likely to make a small version of this some day just because I want to -- I've already written my own terminal emulator in Racket (which works but is slow, and I don't recommend anybody use it), and my own shell in Racket (which is awesome, and I do recommend people use it, at least for scripting, and eventually I will develop it further [contributors welcome!]), so naturally I need to make my own editor as well.