Of that list, I can only see downsides to the middle ones: "emacs, vi, netcat, shell option for vi-mode, rc-file with preferences". Who uses vi-mode in the shell? And Windows already has a boatload of editors.
Windows could do a lot better than curses by providing easy means to pop MFC dialogs from the shell to prompt the user.
There's at least a dozen of us. It's my wishlist :)
> Windows could do a lot better than curses by
> providing easy means to pop MFC dialogs from
> the shell to prompt the user.
When you work in an environment with a lot of hosts, Windows is a laborious partner. You need to open remote desktops and click windows to push the OS around. With unix you often have processes that start out being manual, and which gradually get sewn up into automation.
With deliberate effort, you can build automation to Windows platforms. But in unix, one guy with a clue can create vast value working with the defaults. Even on an ancient Solaris box with no compiler or extra tools installed. If you're desperate you'll be able to find a shell that can open a socket server or staple some awk together to get a result.
Windows powershell is a vision of what a shell can be that has grown up separate to the unix world. In a fair world it would be considered heavy-lifting-equipment, like bash or emacs lisp. It would be thriving. But it has lived in a straight-jacket because until now Microsoft has forced operators to to interact with it via the windows GUI.
MFC popups would undermine the benefits of SSH. If you're worried about your shell hanging at a background window event, you'll avoid using it in anger.
Same issue with editors. Existing editors require the GUI layer. A strength of ssh is how well it suits you when you want to dive on to a host and make a fast change.
Console interaction shines particularly for high-latency liks. Mainframe/mini interfaces were particularly strong - your buffer could get many characters ahead of the display, but you could have complete confidence that everything would work out.
Windows could do a lot better than curses by providing easy means to pop MFC dialogs from the shell to prompt the user.
Zip and unzip are already available, in https://pscx.codeplex.com/