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Users of Vim and similars, what exactly makes it useful compared to other text editors? How much time do you suppose you save when working with it? (programming.dev)

submitted 3 months ago by ICastFist@programming.dev to c/ask_experienced_devs@programming.dev

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I'd like actual examples instead of "I work faster", something like "I can move straight to the middle of the file with 7mv" or "I can keep 4 different text snippets in memory and paste each with a number+pt, like 2pt", things that you actually use somewhat frequently instead of what you can do, but probably only did once.

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[–] peto@lemm.ee 20 points 3 months ago (2 children)

Honestly the best bit is just not feeling the need to take my hand off the keyboard and use the mouse. I don't think I can quantify the time saved, but I can tell you I really notice when I'm using software that makes me have to switch.

[–] grrgyle@slrpnk.net 4 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Yeah when my hand goes to the mouse it feels like I've broken a combo or streak. Like I've switched from an active to a passive mode. The mouse is for clicking and scrolling, like reading email and webpages

[–] pmk@lemmy.sdf.org 2 points 3 months ago

The Acme editor (and Sam) begs to differ. Sadly it's hard to find a mouse that can do mouse chording today.

[–] corsicanguppy@lemmy.ca -3 points 3 months ago (1 children)

So, like every text editor also without a beep-mode?

[–] Transform2942@lemmy.ml 9 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago)

I don't know if this comment comes from ignorance or snarkiness but it's really not the same. Other editors add in hotkeys over time to perform a single function.

Vim key bindings are actually a terse text manipulation language where you can form arbitrary "sentences" like:

ciw - change the current word, meaning remove it and then enter insert mode
D - delete until end of line
dt: - delete everything between the cursor and the next colon on this line
10"ap Paste the contents of the a register 10 times