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Linux vim editor

Posted by MyLinuxBook on · 15 comments
IBMDeveloperworks - Real world Linux; By Himanshu 		Mail this story
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This article explains the basics of Linux vim editor through images and examples. It is intended for those who are either new to vim or think that vim is too complex to understand.

There are many people out there who use Linux for their daily needs. Linux has almost replaced windows for these people and they tend to agree with the fact that Linux is addictive. Its the sheer power of customization, stability and robustness that has contributed to the success of Linux. For a person using computer for his/her daily stuff, a text editor is a very basic requirement. Same goes with the Linux users, a text editor is the bare minimum requirement for them and most of them tend to use the built in gedit text editor. When asked why, people generally reply that it is very easy to use.

There is another editor in Linux known as vim. Few people know about this editor and even fewer people use it. When asked the reason they say that it is very complex and command line based. Well, I agree that vim editor is command line based and may look a bit complex in its first impression but It is a very powerful editor. What is needed is a bit of practice to begin with. For all those who shy away or have never used vim editor. Here is a basic article on vim editor that should get you started on a positive note.

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Comments (15)

devil ·
I cannot get to the actual story, it seems missing
tracyanne ·
The only place it seems to exist is on LXer
vainrveenr ·
Quoting:Fixed
?

Visiting the written piece found at https://www.ibm.com/developerworks/mydeveloperworks/blogs/58e72888-6340-46ac-b488-d31aa4058e9c/entry/linux_vim_editor31?lang=en is most likely to be the correct choice for those wishing to view the current IBM developerWorks piece entitled 'Linux vim editor'.

Visiting the written piece 'Out of Africa: More Microsoft FUD' found at http://blogs.computerworlduk.com/open-enterprise/2012/10/out-of-africa-more-microsoft-fud/index.htm is likely completely incorrect for those wishing to view the developerWorks vim piece..

OTOH, visiting IBM developerWorks' learning series of less than a half-dozen years ago, 'Emacs editing environment, Part 1: Learn the basics of Emacs', could be correct if one very strongly prefers Emacs over vim, i.e., the series going from http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/aix/tutorials/au-emacs1/ thru http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/aix/tutorials/au-emacs1/section6.html





jdixon ·
> ...could be correct if one very strongly prefers Emacs over vim...

Well, yeah. But those folks have bigger problems than trying to find an article on IBM DevleoperWorks. :)
caitlyn ·
Thanks, jdixon, I needed a laugh :) That, plus maybe an Excedrin Migraine (generic) if this darned headache keeps developing the way I think it is.

I've used vi since 1998 as my go-to editor I appreciate what the author is trying to do with this introductory article. Tell me this: why, on a vi article, do I still have to look at a piece of a Unity desktop?
jdixon ·
> Thanks, jdixon, I needed a laugh :)

Nice to know my humor doesn't always rub you the wrong way. :)

Wrt headaches and painkillers, I've always had better luck with plain aspirin than either ibuprofen or acetaminophen myself, but I'm apparently an exception to the norm.
notbob ·
"vi .....the heart of evil!!" --notbob
jdixon ·
> "vi .....the heart of evil!!" --notbob

Yes, but the heart of Elvis too. What do you have against the King of Rock and Roll?
notbob ·
> Yes, but the heart of Elvis too.

Ahhh! ....but Elvis WAS evil. Jes ask all the parents of millions of young 50s teens. Elvis was the spearhead of an evil pinko commie plot intending to subvert the morals of our upstanding god-fearing children, namely R[he]R. At least, that's how I remember it as a kid. Also, elvis is one of a legion of vi clones, therefor he is, by association, eeeee-ville! As a slacker, you should know this, JD. [/he])

In truth, as a fat slob myself, I have nothing against poor ol' Elvis. I was listening to R&R before there was an Elvis and I watched, in horror, as he became jes a dumb sequined fool/tool for the true evil dirtbags in the entertainment industry. Like ta' broke my heart. :(

jdixon ·
> Also, elvis is one of a legion of vi clones, therefor he is, by association, eeeee-ville! As a slacker, you should know this, JD.

Well, yes, but no sense confusing the thread further. So is stevie (wonder, nicks, etc.). There's obviously some type of infernal link between vi and rock and roll.
gus3 ·
Elvis, a commie pinko? I never heard Senator McCarthy utter his name.
vainrveenr ·
Quoting:Also, elvis is one of a legion of vi clones, therefor he is, by association, eeeee-ville!...
Besides vim and the vi clone Elvis, there are also the Berkeley Vi Editor nvi and the Vi Like Emacs vile.

In point of fact, there are a "legion" of Emacs clones just as there are for vi/vim. For a list of these Emacs offshoots, see the 'TextEditors Wiki: EmacsFamily' found at http://texteditors.org/cgi-bin/wiki.pl?EmacsFamily.

While not "eeeee-ville" in the exact same sense, there does happen to be an extensible vi layer for Emacs by the same name, and described at http://emacswiki.org/emacs/Evil.

---

There have also arisen various criticisms and parodies of vi/vim and its clones, e.g., Why I don't use Vim (or Elvis) and Editors 101 - The vi Menace.



jdixon ·
> While not "eeeee-ville" in the exact same sense....

Well, don't forget vigor: http://vigor.sourceforge.net/

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