February 15, 2018
The VIM editor
The Vim editor is what you get when you type "vi" on a linux system.
Strictly speaking, this might not be true, there are other vi clones for linux, but over
the years they have all fallen by the wayside and been eclipsed by vim.
Fedora "vi" is not "vim" !!
I will mention this front and center in case it saves somebody grief.
On Fedora there are two different things: /bin/vi and /bin/vim.
I like to invoke "vim" by typing "vi" as I have done since time immemorial.
This was giving me "vi" (whatever it is) rather than full featured "vim".
The main symptom of this was that my .vimrc was being ignored.
This had me pulling my hair out until I discovered what they are doing.
This is a bad idea on their part, but there is not much I can do about it.
What I do to fix this is to put the following lines in my .bashrc
# Fedora vi is some horrible thing.
alias vi='vim'
My experience with vi
I began using the original "vi" editor back in 1979 or so, before there was linux and vim.
At that time emacs was not an option and many of the young guys now using vim had
not even been born yet. Because of this, I have deeply ingrained habits and have
never even examined alternatives to "vi". Many of the hotly contested editor wars
are besides the point to me and I have no dog in the fight. Use whatever you like.
Vim has a plethora of advanced features, many of which I have never learned to use.
I should. I should, as the saying goes, "sharpen my saw".
If you are a programmer, or anyone who does serious work on a computer, a text editor
is your most commonly and heavily used tool. You will spend 80 percent of your time
(or more) using a text editor. It is well worth the time invested to learn how to use
it well.
If you are a programmer and have never learned how to touch type, that is absolutely
the very first thing you should learn. It isn't that hard!
Do it, then come back and learn how to use vi.
My resources
If you are forced to use Eclipse, like I do for Android/Java development,
you should know that there is an excellent Vim plugin.
Add that, adjust a few eclipse settings, and things can get pretty nice.
Books
- Practical Vim - I have the 2012 first edition.
Revised in 2015 (2nd edition).
The first edition received good reviews, and I have to agree. A very good book.
- Vi and Vim editors by O'Reilly - This is old (2008) and distinctly second rate.
You are better off using online resources if you are a beginner, then getting "Practical Vim".
- Vi Improved by Steve Qualline - Ancient (2001), quirky, funky - avoid this at all costs.
Note that the Practical Vim book is available as a free online e-book.
Links
Feedback? Questions?
Drop me a line!
Tom's Computer Info / [email protected]