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0 pointsslightwinder5y ago0 comments

Mouse takes far longer than a second for a selection. Switching between keyboard and mouse already takes longer than typing the usual vim-commands for a simple action.

And casual keyboard-commands just don't scale well. Moving cursor x chars means you must type the movement-key x times. With vi you just type the number x and the movement, and usually save big time.

Aditionally, vi has more knowledge about textual objects, which are all interchangable. So whether you move 3 chars, words, paragraphs, pages or functions, it's all the same, just with different letters.

Vi's command-language is highly composable and thus very dense, so it will alwys be faster than mouse and casual editor-commands. Of course as long as you habit them.

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7 comments · 1 top-level

ubercow135y ago· 6 in thread

I have exclusively used vim keys for years now, but even after that time I find some of this just doesn’t ring true. Anything in vi that involves counting some number is usually faster with normal keys or the mouse. For example moving down 20 lines is way faster with the mouse, you just click. With vi you have to count the lines in your head - better hope you don’t lose count half way because two lines blur together. With lines you can use line numbers and mental arithmetic, but not really for any other number+noun combo.

I recognise there are other better ways to move around but they too often have drawbacks, like moving somewhere with ‘/‘. You have to parse the line you want to move to for a unique string that’s close to where you’re going. Then you have to scan over all the text in between to make sure it doesn’t occur too much there.

Maybe I’m still just doing it wrong.

Jestar3425y ago

> For example moving down 20 lines is way faster with the mouse, you just click.

Correction - you must move your mouse hand from the keyboard, move the mouse to the desired location, _then_ click.

Ergonomic concern often goes side-by-side with editors like vim.

I'm also not convinced that comparing the simple editor things is demonstrating the value of vim much. It's how easy vim handles the _not_ simple things, and also how easy it is to motion the often unique or rarely used edits, combined with drop-of-the hat programmability, that makes vim a good choice.

ubercow135y ago

Yes, it's certainly more ergonomic and comfortable. Still, I find the mouse pretty fast overall. But I'm pretty good at aiming at things with it after playing FPS games for a while.

>how easy vim handles the _not_ simple things

Agreed, despite any minor differences in movement speed, even '.' by itself is useful enough to never switch back.

johannes12343215y ago

You don't have to count. I typically make a rough estimation and go from there. For me that still is faster than putting hand on mouse, searching current cursor position, aim, click, and back to proper keyboard position. Of course ymmv

anonzzz5y ago

I remember in grade school where we practised turing to an approximate page in a book. I always think of it like this.

yongjik5y ago

H/M/L is your friend (move to the top/middle/bottom of current screen). Getting to the wanted position usually takes me less time than just moving my right hand to the mouse and back.

gerardogaol5y ago

Relative number lines solved the counting issue for me in most scenarios.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse