ed doesn't warn about readonly files early enough

[Dan Jacobson]

$ ed /etc/passwd
1022
a
this is an important line
.
w
/etc/passwd: Permission denied

Now it tells me.  The average other editor would tell me "readonly"
right off the bat.  How about warning me at the "a", or "i",
etc. commands at least?  Sorry if I'm making ed too verbose, but say
if:

It's Friday evening.  Should I fix the company's web page, or go out
for the good times?
$ ed company's_web_page.html
a
[bla bla, then 5 hours later:]
.
w company's_web_page.html: Permission Denied
OK, sure I can
w /somewhere_else/some_other_file
and then copy it into place on Monday when the system administrator is
in, but if I had known this would have happened I wouldn't have wasted
precious Friday night party time, and instead done it all on Monday.

By the way, on the man page

   SEE ALSO
       vi(1), sed(1), regex(3), sh(1).

       USD:12-13
what is that?  U.S. Domestic violence code law reference?  Be more
forthcoming.  Also the man page has no bugs address and doesn't mention
the Info page.
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