I’ve been trying to use bootloader_pico2.uf2 firmware. It works mostly for me. I’ve got PicoMite_PICORP2350_V6.00.02RC23.uf2 and Picoware-PicoCalcPico2W.uf2 working. And micropython_pico2w.uf2 mostly works. Well, it actually all works except for one annoying issue. When I choose the micropython from the loader menu, the cursor is invisible. No vt100 codes help. I can go back to mmbasic or picoware and there it is. But not for micropython. I figure I’m not using a firmware that is completely compatible with the bootloader. So what micropython firmware should I use? Hopefully not much different than the one I’m using now.
I recommend that you use Picoware, which is a fork of MicroPython. I plan on supporting this project for months to come.
No offense as your program system is quite fantastic, but the python editor and repl don’t respond to commands the same way that Micropython stand-alone does. I’m working of framebuffer display overlays and it’s just enough different to throw me off. Besides, If I have to spend 10 to 15 seconds reflashing the beastie, so be it. As I tell folks, I’m retired. Time is most all I have!
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No offense taken! I am curious about what you meant by:
I can fix those issues for the upcoming release.
This, and a few of your other posts, is why I mentioned to use Picoware. As frame buffers, keyboard input/parsing, and a few other things you mentioned (in other posts) are working/have been added in Picoware.
Congrats on your retirement! I am all for tinkering and having fun 
feel free to reach out if you need anything
I’ll put together a list of what differences I’ve found. That would be great.
Especially since Picoware works with the bootloader and micropython doesn’t.
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Here’s what I put together:
picoware issues:
REPL:
the arrow keys don’t show command history
import os doesn’t work (how can I find the equivalent?)
where is the chdir() function?
run doesn’t work.
how do I run a program?
Editor:
This is a personal issue but hitting the back key
takes me out of the editor instead of moving the cursor
It even takes me out of the file and the list of files.
Even while trying to figure out how to use the editor, not
knowing the commands to manuver makes it difficult.
(especially the equivalent of the back key)
The ctrl-s and other such keys don’t work. A tutorial on it’s
use would help.
with these issues, I just haven’t used it enough to find ways around
them. It just turns out to be easier to use Micropython.
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Thanks for putting together a list. Let me address each of these
This wasn’t something I thought of when working on the REPL 
I’ll add it in the next release
Both the os library and os.chdir() are accessible but you need to mount the vfs in order to use it. The easiest solution would be for me to mount it before the REPL is started (which I’ll add in the upcoming release)
As an alternate (and recommended) approach, you could use the Storage class, which uses C directly. It has very similar syntax to the os library and has some awesome helpers for reading, writing, and decoding/encoding.
Here’s an example/test: Picoware/tests/sd.py at main · jblanked/Picoware · GitHub
You cannot run programs directly from the REPL, but you can add them in picoware/apps on your SD card and run them inside of Picoware in Library -> Applications.
There are lifecycle functions that are required, and I know some do not like that, but what other contributors have done is added their script inside of start, if its a one-time script, or inside of run, if its a loop. The biggest bonus of the lifecycle is not having to import commonly used classes since the ViewManager has an instance of most of them.
You can use the Del key to delete a character. Optionally, you can open the settings (Library -> System -> Settings) and click Exit Button. Then change the option from <-Back, which is the default, to Esc. That will make the Esc button exit/leave views and the <-Back button backspace.
When you exit the app and there are changes made, it will prompt you to save. By default it has Y (for yes), and you can just click Enter (when the prompt appears) and it will save your file and exit the app. If you do not wish to save, you can backspace the Y and put n.
I don’t have a recent tutorial on the Editor specifically, but our tutorials are here → Picoware/guides/Tutorials.md at main · jblanked/Picoware · GitHub
The guides cover almost everything in Picoware → Picoware/guides at main · jblanked/Picoware · GitHub
And there are API docs that cover all of the libraries → picoware