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What I like about vim (and other terminal editors alike) the most is the predictability. For any decent tools, you will get used to them over time, things becom

by uvdn7 5y ago

What I like about vim (and other terminal editors alike) the most is the predictability. For any decent tools, you will get used to them over time, things become muscle memories; and that’s good. You learn it once, and you can benefit from it for a looong time. You know how the tool works, you know how to use it, and it won’t change by itself. Remember that feeling when your favorite desktop app, website release a new upgrade and it just stop making sense to you? Or it’s unclear how things work anymore? That’s what I am talking about.

Shared404 5y ago
It seems worth noting that this is mostly a culture difference. Many terminal users will be upset if you change a tool out from under them. Many desktop users don't know how to vocalize it. In addition, it's more common afaict for cli/tui tools to be open source, so if someone does change a tool out from under you it's possible to fork the old version and keep the UI you like.
Koshkin 5y ago
> predictability... muscle memories A huge issue with this for me is that it is practically impossible to confine myself to the universe where only vim keybindings exist.
- mplanchard 5y ago
  I was always a heavy vim user, and I’ve had a good time switching to doom emacs: it seems easier to do more stuff outside of code editing in emacs, and I’ve got full vim keybindings in pretty much anything I can get emacs to do. I even have a browser plug-in that opens an emacs editing session for any text input on a page!
- deleted 5y ago
  [deleted]
- GregBuchholz 5y ago
  Here are some of the things I use to increase the range of programs for which I can use vi keybindings: * vscodevim extension for Vscode * "set -o vi" in Bash * Vim Vixen plugin for Firefox * you can use ctrl-alt-j in gdb. And that might (should?) work in other programs which use GNU Readline to get vi keybindings. The only thing I miss with the vi bindings in bash/readline is "ge/gE" from vim (move backwards to the end of the word).
  - RMPR 5y ago
    > Vim Vixen plugin for Firefox These days, on Firefox, Tridactyl is the way to go for me.
dm319 5y ago
A related point is that you can confidently invest in vim knowing that it will be around for a good deal longer. I often find it pointless getting too invested with a shiny bit of proprietary software because I don't know how long I'll be using it for.

by uvdn7 5y ago

Shared404 5y ago

It seems worth noting that this is mostly a culture difference. Many terminal users will be upset if you change a tool out from under them. Many desktop users don't know how to vocalize it. In addition, it's more common afaict for cli/tui tools to be open source, so if someone does change a tool out from under you it's possible to fork the old version and keep the UI you like.

Koshkin 5y ago

> predictability... muscle memories A huge issue with this for me is that it is practically impossible to confine myself to the universe where only vim keybindings exist.

mplanchard 5y ago
I was always a heavy vim user, and I’ve had a good time switching to doom emacs: it seems easier to do more stuff outside of code editing in emacs, and I’ve got full vim keybindings in pretty much anything I can get emacs to do. I even have a browser plug-in that opens an emacs editing session for any text input on a page!
deleted 5y ago
[deleted]
GregBuchholz 5y ago
Here are some of the things I use to increase the range of programs for which I can use vi keybindings: * vscodevim extension for Vscode * "set -o vi" in Bash * Vim Vixen plugin for Firefox * you can use ctrl-alt-j in gdb. And that might (should?) work in other programs which use GNU Readline to get vi keybindings. The only thing I miss with the vi bindings in bash/readline is "ge/gE" from vim (move backwards to the end of the word).
- RMPR 5y ago
  > Vim Vixen plugin for Firefox These days, on Firefox, Tridactyl is the way to go for me.

dm319 5y ago

A related point is that you can confidently invest in vim knowing that it will be around for a good deal longer. I often find it pointless getting too invested with a shiny bit of proprietary software because I don't know how long I'll be using it for.