On 2007-09-22, Lawrence D'Oliveiro <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > In message <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, Bjoern > Schliessmann wrote: >> Nah. Use vim. > > Every other text editor I have ever used understands that the > current position in a file is _between_ two characters (or > before the first character, or after the last character), not > _on_ a character. But not vi and its ilk. > > Try the following in vi/vim: Move to some point in the middle > of a line. Press "i" to get into insert mode. Press escape to > get out again. You'll end up one position to the left of where > you were before. Press "i", and then escape again--you've moved > another position left. Why is it incapable of keeping track of > such a simple thing as your current position in the file?
That's a silly question. Of course it knows your current position--it just chooses to modify your position when you exit insert mode. > Why does it need two different insert commands, "i" versus "a"? > Because one of them can't insert at the end of a line, and the > other can't insert at the beginning. i and a are two of *many* ways to enter insert mode. I'm not sure all of them are completely justified (I've never uses s or S, for example). I typically use o, O, i, I and A the most. I don't have much use for a. > And why have command-versus-insert mode at all? No other text > editor still surviving uses such an antiquated concept. The existence of command mode allows plain old keystrokes to be commands--it potentially makes commands easier to type. Emacs users don't find it to be a compelling advantage. ;) -- Neil Cerutti -- http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list
