The original `vi` was written on an ADM-3A terminal. If you have a look at the keyboard layout https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ADM-3A#/media/File:KB_Terminal_ADM

The original `vi` was written on an ADM-3A terminal. If you have a look at the keyboard layout https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ADM-3A#/media/File:KB_Terminal_ADM3A.svg https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ADM-3A#/media/File:KB_Terminal... You can not only see why Esc was easy to hit, but also the arrow keys (and, in common with other terminals of the time, why "home" is "~")