Xref: utzoo comp.editors:1097 alt.religion.computers:816
Path: utzoo!yunexus!ists!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!cs.utexas.edu!romp!auschs!d75!cello!sanders.austin.ibm.com
From: sanders@sanders.austin.ibm.com (Tony Sanders)
Newsgroups: comp.editors,alt.religion.computers
Subject: Re: vi (vs VMS/EDT)
Keywords: editor bashing
Message-ID: <3050@cello.UUCP>
Date: 17 Nov 89 01:15:41 GMT
Article-I.D.: cello.3050
References: <1989Nov14.223604.17418@cs.eur.nl> <1989Nov15.202718.12762@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu>
Sender: news@cello.UUCP
Reply-To: sanders@sanders.austin.ibm.com (Tony Sanders)
Followup-To: alt.religion.computers
Lines: 37

In article <1989Nov15.202718.12762@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu> mcdonald@aries.scs.uiuc.edu (Doug McDonald) writes:
>The problem with using vi is not LEARNING it, it is using it. LEarning
>is easy. Using is impossible: its command structure is broken,
Seems learning it isn't as easy as you might think. :-)

>hopeless beyond any hope of repair. Consider this: start typing
>in something (after hitting "i" of course) then step mout for a Coke. 
>Come back: your cursor is in the middle of the page. Are you in 
>insert mode or not? Start typing - DAMMIT - oops, I forgot that
>I really DID hit escape before going for that Coke. Utter mess
>ensues.
The answer (as people have ALMOST pointed out already) is to type "ESC a".
or use showmode(ugh).  I will agree somewhat that the command structure
in vi is at times fouled up.  Somethings could have been done better.
Most of the problem is that it isn't as programable as one might wish
it to be, but I think the trade off was one of usablity.  I don't know
emacs (yet) but I have used other editors like it and you cannot use
other another person's setup.  You walk up and ALL the keys are
different.  You could do this with vi also but vi people DON'T.  The
reason may be that the commands are setup properly to begin with.

>OF all the flame wars on Usenet, those against vi are the best.
Agreed. :-)

I would like to point out the fact (for you pro-vi people) that I seem
to spend MUCH more time editing text (moving around, formatting, etc.)
than typing it in.  This is why I like vi.  I like having all the
command keys available UNDER my fingers.  No meta key to hit etc.  A
simple insert command and I'm typing away.  Anyone else find this to be
true?

I'm a fast typist and FROM MY EXPERIENCE the faster typists seem to
like vi while the slower ones like other editors.  I have counter
examples to this statement but it seems to be true more often than
not.  Again, any other observations?

-- sanders