[clug] Text editor

[Brendan Jurd]

On 25 October 2014 23:37, Bryan Kilgallin <bryan at netspeed.com.au> wrote:

>
> Why in the 21st century, use a text-based editor? This reminds me of using
> CP/M decades ago on a minicomputer. Is it an exercise in industrial
> archaeology, like learning to make cast-iron railway lines?
>

For my mileage, having used vi(m) as my main editor for some 14 years, it
has been totally worth it.

When working on programming code or configuration files, I regularly
perform operations in vim in a few keystrokes, that would be either tedious
or downright infeasible in a WYSIWYG mousey word processor.  The learning
curve is steep, and getting used to command mode vs. insert mode does
require a commitment of mental resources.  But once you're underway you'll
find yourself picking up all sorts of wonderful tricks that make
manipulating text a joy.  Once you get the hang of macro/repeat commands,
you'll be an unstoppable text editing ninja, and a tree of drop-down
pop-out menus will seem laughably slow to you.

There's a very nice vim cheat sheet reference card made for printing out
and keeping handy near your computer.  I've gotten a lot of value from
this: http://xavier.perseguers.ch/fileadmin/download/vimqrc.pdf

There's also a great series of instructional videos at http://vimcasts.org/
Even after more than a decade of using vim in my day job, I have picked up
a few excellent new tricks by watching these.

Cheers,
BJ