4 ms·

As I say, I do love the power of it and I'm sure I'd find it somewhat intuitive once I start using it, but it's just a steep learning curve when you can't fall

As I say, I do love the power of it and I'm sure I'd find it somewhat intuitive once I start using it, but it's just a steep learning curve when you can't fall back to input with a mouse. What I mean is: whenever I start learning a new program, I like to be able to use it like a n00b at first (i.e. click around, use native controls), and then learn the more powerful features. A good example of this way of learning is the way I use TextMate... every day I learn new controls, and get more proficient and more effective, but I'm not rendered useless (as one would be with vi) if I don't know each and every key combination. Granted, you can make do with just a few vi commands and be not effective at all, but it's not the same as using a GUI

tokipin 19y ago
http://www.bemroses.net/images/curves.jpg http://www.bemroses.net/images/curves.jpg i've found the Cold Turkey method of learning very useful. there's a saying that goes something like, "the greatest catalyst for progress is necessity." when switching to dvorak i simply never touched quwerty again. likewise with Vim, i never used another editor. it's a bit odd at first, but if you keep yourself from using anything else, you will have to learn, or, as you say, you really will be useless. and due to that, you learn it faster than approaching it from a more reserved angle is it worth it? absolutely. editing code is a fundamental part of programming. it's something you're going to be doing a lot of. the investments you put into that aspect will pay off greatly the key to learning vi well is to be in command mode as much as possible
brk 19y ago
Interesting perspective, I'm wondering if you're a "Gen Y'er" (or whatever they're calling that newfangled generation these days ;) I ask because I started with PCs before the mouse was really commercialized. My first programs were on Commodore PETs and C64 and my PCjr. (Although I did later buy a mouse for the PCjr, I think it cost close to $200 at Babbages, had to save money for a while for that one...) My long-winded point being that I "grew up" with a CLI. We edited our text files with edlin (and we liked it, dammit!!). Maybe the folks who didn't get started viewing the mouse as a primary interaction device feel more comfortable with vi, and never really missed the mouse interface.
- LogicHoleFlaw 19y ago
  I'm wondering if you're a "Gen Y'er" (or whatever they're calling that newfangled generation these days ;) Apparently the defining starting birth year for that generation is 1982. I happen to have been born that year, and my preferred term for the generation is "Millennials". "Gen Y" over-emphasizes our interaction with the "slacker generation" which preceded us. Anyway, I don't think that there's much correlation between birth year and vi. With the rise to prominence of Linux and other Unix systems many many budding hackers are starting out with full-fledged command lines and honest-to-goodness Unix. And that's a beautiful thing.

tokipin 19y ago

http://www.bemroses.net/images/curves.jpg http://www.bemroses.net/images/curves.jpg i've found the Cold Turkey method of learning very useful. there's a saying that goes something like, "the greatest catalyst for progress is necessity." when switching to dvorak i simply never touched quwerty again. likewise with Vim, i never used another editor. it's a bit odd at first, but if you keep yourself from using anything else, you will have to learn, or, as you say, you really will be useless. and due to that, you learn it faster than approaching it from a more reserved angle is it worth it? absolutely. editing code is a fundamental part of programming. it's something you're going to be doing a lot of. the investments you put into that aspect will pay off greatly the key to learning vi well is to be in command mode as much as possible

brk 19y ago

Interesting perspective, I'm wondering if you're a "Gen Y'er" (or whatever they're calling that newfangled generation these days ;) I ask because I started with PCs before the mouse was really commercialized. My first programs were on Commodore PETs and C64 and my PCjr. (Although I did later buy a mouse for the PCjr, I think it cost close to $200 at Babbages, had to save money for a while for that one...) My long-winded point being that I "grew up" with a CLI. We edited our text files with edlin (and we liked it, dammit!!). Maybe the folks who didn't get started viewing the mouse as a primary interaction device feel more comfortable with vi, and never really missed the mouse interface.

LogicHoleFlaw 19y ago
I'm wondering if you're a "Gen Y'er" (or whatever they're calling that newfangled generation these days ;) Apparently the defining starting birth year for that generation is 1982. I happen to have been born that year, and my preferred term for the generation is "Millennials". "Gen Y" over-emphasizes our interaction with the "slacker generation" which preceded us. Anyway, I don't think that there's much correlation between birth year and vi. With the rise to prominence of Linux and other Unix systems many many budding hackers are starting out with full-fledged command lines and honest-to-goodness Unix. And that's a beautiful thing.