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It seems that the editor vi is more difficult to learn than other cli editors. Is this a misconception, and if not, what advantages does this editor have for a developer over the other standard editors?

Brandon Frohbieter
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    If you work CLI for most nix, VI is installed by default... – OMG Ponies Feb 24 '11 at 18:14
  • "However, I often overhear developers far superior in skill to myself talking about casting arcane spells in their mystical editor vi, which by all accounts seems to actually write your code for you." If that's not enough reason, what more reason can we give? Why ask us? Why not ask them? They might show you something. – S.Lott Feb 24 '11 at 18:14
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    @OMG Ponies: Please post your answer as an answer so it can be upvoted, – S.Lott Feb 24 '11 at 18:14
  • Oh, that actually happened to me once, there was only vi.... I almost peed myself. – Brandon Frohbieter Feb 24 '11 at 18:15
  • IMO not subjective and argumentative at all.... I'm asking what functionality this editor has to offer over another that would make it worth the time investment. Other similar questions appear to be popular and doing a good service to the community. – Brandon Frohbieter Feb 24 '11 at 18:17
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    @Orbit: The immense, subjective and argumentative backstory is a killer. Remove the backstory and pare down your question to a question that lacks any reference to yourself or your preferences and you might get somewhere. Backstory (especially backstory where you're unhappy with the technology) defines subjective. And it is often argumentative. – S.Lott Feb 24 '11 at 18:23
  • All the backstory was intended to portray was that it seemed that it took a significant time investment to learn vi. (vi is hard), but thank you for the advice, I rephrased the question. And why ask you instead of them? You are them.... – Brandon Frohbieter Feb 24 '11 at 18:25
  • @Orbit: Wrong. I'm not them. I don't know you. I don't work with you. And I don't use vi any more than minimally necessary. I have no Idea what "You are them.... " could possibly mean. – S.Lott Feb 24 '11 at 18:39
  • @S.Lott - having a bad day? By 'You' I'm not referring to you personally, I'm referring to the community here, or to be clearer, the vi users. If it doesn't apply, move on. No need to be a curt ass after I thanked you for your advice. That aside, I highly respect your contribution here. – Brandon Frohbieter Feb 24 '11 at 18:43
  • @Orbit: "By 'You' I'm not referring to you personally" Really? How was I to know that? – S.Lott Feb 24 '11 at 18:53
  • @S.Lott Because I don't know you. I don't work with you, and because I was using 'you' in response to your use of 'us'. Sorry for the confusion, by bad. Not looking to start a beef. – Brandon Frohbieter Feb 24 '11 at 18:55
  • @Orbit: Interesting approach. And everyone else reading this? "You are them..." applies to them because you know them? – S.Lott Feb 24 '11 at 18:56
  • @S.Lott This is pointless, sorry you didn't understand the nuance in my language use, please direct your cold nerd rage elsewhere, no need to recruit OMG Ponies to come to your defense. – Brandon Frohbieter Feb 24 '11 at 18:59
  • @Orbit: I'm sorry. I thought your comment was something I was supposed to understand. I was confused. I asked. I apologize for trying to understand the comment. I'm guessing you're saying it was not intended for me to understand and was directed at someone else. Thanks for clarifying. – S.Lott Feb 24 '11 at 19:08
  • @S.Lott I'm sorry also, just took the 'Wrong.' the wrong way. I'm sorry I wasn't being clear and used the word 'you' directed at you but applying to a group that you are not included in. – Brandon Frohbieter Feb 24 '11 at 19:12
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    If anyone makes it this far... related :http://stackoverflow.com/questions/74625/what-is-the-best-way-to-force-yourself-to-master-vi – Brandon Frohbieter Feb 25 '11 at 17:14

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