Re: VIM features

[Paul Mackinney <paul@mackinney.net>]

Wichert Akkerman declaimed:
> Previously Caleb Shay wrote:
> > I second this.  For example, at the bottom of /etc/vim/vimrc there are
> > several lines commented out "as they cause vim to behave a lot different
> > from regular vi".  However, as was pointed out below, vim is NOT the
> > default vi when you install, so why not enable some more of it's better
> > features.
> 
> Because I'm not willing to for several reasons:
> 
> 1. every time I enable a feature that makes vim a bit more unlike vi
>    I get multiple bugreports
> 2. vim is very well documented, if people want to try any of its
>    features they can trivially enable them themselves
> 3. which features you want enabled is a very personal choice, one that I
>    am not willing to make for users. So I'll always pick the choice
>    that makes vim more like stock vi. This keeps things consistent
>    and prevents endless debates.

I don't at all mind having a vimrc file with lines commented out that
the user can enable. Note that this is the strategy for bash.

What would be helpful is a README.Debian file in /usr/doc/vim that
alerts the user to the existence of /etc/vim/vimrc and its nice set of
potential customizations.  I had overlooked the vim stuff in /etc, but I 
have learned to check the /usr/doc directory.

-- 
Paul Mackinney       |   Another look at Sept 11
paul@mackinney.net   |   http://www.copvcia.com/