About VIM

What is VIM?

VIM (Vi Improved) is an award-winning, free alternative to vi, the default editor supplied with most Unix™ operating systems. As most users know, vi is a very non-intuitive, character-based text editor, and it has limitations on file size and line length. Perversely, once you learn vi, your subconscious mind realizes how powerful it is, and you may even come to depend on it. Users who have to switch back and forth between vi and WYSIWIG editors know what I mean. They curse at their fingers' clumsiness and wish vi were also available on non-Unix™ machines.

As a result, a number of vi clones have sprung up over the years. The best clone that I have found is VIM.

Why VIM?

VIM does away with line-length and file-size limitations. It has an infinite "undo" stack, which is a lifesaver for clumsy typists. VIM also gives you context-sensitive color coding, similar to some emacs editors, and the ability to display and edit multiple files at once, as in emacs.

It used to use the same arcane commands as vi, which is to say it has an interface only a vi user could love – but it also included a menu bar and an icon bar, like other Windows-based software.

In order to enhance its usability and universal appeal, VIM now includes all the normal Microsoft-style editing commands: Ctl-C to copy, Ctl-V to paste, select text with mouse drag, and so on. It's not even necessary to switch back and forth between the classsic vi interface and the Microsoft-style interface. Both are active at the same time.

You see, just like vi, VIM is infinitely customizable.

Created with Vim Personally, and in spite of myself, I love VIM. I think it's great. I used VIM to write most of the pages on my website. It makes cleaner, more compact HTML code than Netscape Composer or that Microsoft bloatware. (I haven't tried the Adobe product yet.)

And that's one more reason to like VIM. It's not a Microsoft product, so it is not bloatware, it is compatible with every piece of software you own, and installing it will not break your system.

Where to get VIM

VIM works on many operating systems besides just Windows and Unix(tm). VIM can be downloaded from vim online or one of its mirror sites. That web site also includes installation instructions, tutorials, and icons like the ones you see here.

Now pay attention to this disclaimer: If you decide to download and install VIM, please go to the website for help. I don't know your computer's configuration. The volunteers who run the website are much more knowledgeable and better equipped to answer your questions.

VIM is free. The authors do ask that you make a donation to help the children in Uganda. Type :help uganda inside VIM to read more about this program.

Edited with Vim

Created by Ray Depew, 09 Feb 2002, using gvim 5.8
Last edited by Ray Depew, 16 Mar 2008, using gvim 7.2