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0 pointserklik5y ago0 comments

> I have zero interest to optimize deciseconds of my time, or worse, optimize my perceived productivity vs. my actual productivity (e.g. forcing myself away from the mouse by ways of pattern matching that increases both mental overhead and time required).

I think you just said it. Its not interesting/nor a priority for you to optimize things to that level. Those using vim properly and trying to move away from the mouse consider it better for efficiency and ergonomics (debatable).

Its not that you fail to understand. Its more so that you don't care that much.

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4 comments · 2 top-level

m_mueller5y ago· 2 in thread

Not sure if you over read the second part of that phrase, but I have serious doubts whether the efficiency gains touted by Vim users are real or only perceived. I'd like to see some good hard data on that, comparing users of similar proficiency level at various editing styles.

erklikOP5y ago

Honestly, I use vim too, and I have learnt the "language" of vim i.e. the grammar and consider myself an advanced beginner.

I have doubts whether the efficiency gains are that useful in every day life. There will some days where I make some pretty widespread refactoring changes over files or the yanking/register stuff can be quite useful, but in general, every day programming, I don't see the efficiency gains.

I have another theory for why people like Vim so much.

Using vim makes you feel like the old-school, crazy powerful, very smart programmers shown in Hollywood. It makes you realize the dream that the little child had when he saw programmers on TV. ( at least for me ) and honestly, its more fun to be doing that so I do it. :)

Maybe I am not that good at vim. But at my level, i don't see great efficiency gains. I simply see more fun gains, and that's good enough for me.

m_mueller5y ago

Thank you. The main gain I see in vim is being able to edit configs on any server through SSH. In an environment with IaC policy this gain basically falls away however. What's left is being able to do small edits where launching e.g. VS Code would take too long. That's where I still use it.

strbean5y ago

I'd think the ergonomics argument is just wrong wrt. repetitive stress. Isn't more variation in movement pretty much always better in that regard?

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