Re: Hard to switch from vi

[Dieter Wilhelm]

Wen Weng <WenWeng@charter.net> writes:

>>
>> First, I don't know of any comparison of the number of keystrokes.
> Well, that's just my experience so far after one week of using emacs.
>> Secondly, other things are much more important.
>>
> Actually, the number of keystrokes is number one importance to me and
> to a lot of people, I guess.
>>

There are only two editors.

First of all, I'm an Emacs user but some years ago I was also
fascinated with the editing approach of vi.  (I think that it is the
only remaining MODE editor still in use.)  First I found out that vi
is no match for Emacs--vim is--but keep in mind that I'm writing here
mainly from the point of view of editing and keystrokes ;-).

I practised vim for approximately half a year quite intensively, till
I realised that even with more practise this hadn't had accelerated my
editing in comparison to Emacs.  I used the following table [*]
comparing the necessary keystrokes.  Please take it with a grain of
salt, the table is not very scientific but I think it shows that
Emacs--in the worst case--does not look so bad in comparison to vim's
keystrokes.  When you take into consideration that you often have to
switch the modes and forced to add ESC (where you have to leave the
home position, or C-[) and switching back to the editing mode, I think
it is a clear draw 8-).

No, I can't proof it with a stop watch, probably very few could
because it takes so (very) long to become really proficient in the
methodologies around the respective keyboard-maps, but still, this
should be food for thought.

If you intend to use the other fast editor stay with vim, if you
intend to use an additional operating system switch to Emacs.

[*] (then I did not know about table.el unfortunately 8-)

==============================
prerequisites:
1.) German keyboard layout
2.) Operating the modifier keys with thumb or outer palm for
   speed reason
3.) Subjective guess of shortcut commonness (first column)

COMMON STUFF:
P       -       keys    input   keys    normal  keys    remark
3       M-digit 2       C-o     3       digit   1       inserting only ONE digit

MOVEMENT

3       M-f     2       S-right 2+1     w/W     1+1     vim: forward WORD or 
word!
3       M-b     2       S-left  2+1     b/B     1+1     vim: forward WORD or 
word!
        M-fb    3                       e       1
        M-bf    3                       ge      2
        C-f     2       right   1+2     l       1
        C-b     2       left    1+2     h       1       
        C-a     2       pos1    1+2     0       1
2       M-m     2       C-o,^   3       ^       1
2       M-a     2       C-o,{   4       {       2
2       M-e     2       C-o,}   4       }       2

MARKING

2       C-SPACE 2                       ma      2
2       C-uSPC  3                       ``      3


SEARCHING

3       C-s,RET 4                       f/F     1+1
                4                       /,RET   4
                C-s     2                       f       1       emacs do some 
other C-command   

2       C-l     2                       z.      2
3       C-x,o   4       C-ow,n 5        C-ww    3

        TYPOS

2       accents 2       C-k,xx  5       iC-k,xx 6
3       M-/     2       C-n|p   2       iC-n|p  3
3       C-t     2       deldel  4+2     hxp     3
2       C-_     2       C-o,u   3       u       1
3       C-y     2                       p/P     1
2       M-y     2       C-r,"xp 6       "xp     4
2       M-l     2                       
2       M-c     2                       ~       1
2       M-t     2                       dwbp    4
1       C-xt    3                       :m+     3
2       C-o     2                       O       2       start editing new line
2       C-ao    3                       O,ESC   3       insert an empty line

DELETION

2       C-w     2                       d`a     4
2       C-d     2       del     1+2     x       1
3       BSP     1                       X       2
3       M-BS    2       C-w     2       db|B    2+1
3       M-D     2       C-odw   4       dw|W    2+1
3       C-k     2       C-o,D   4       D       2
3       M-0,C-k 5       C-ou    3       C-u     2
The following line is redundant now its C-S-BKS 3 
2       C-a,C-k 5       C-odd   5       dd      2
1       C-x,DEL 4                       d}      2
1       M-k     2                       d{      2

COPYING

        C-k,C-y 5                       Y       2
        C-a,C-k,C-y8                    yy      2

FORMATTING

1       M-^     2                       gJ      3       Join lines without 
whitespace
2       C-a,TAB 4                       C-t     2
        M-^     2                       C-d     2
1       C-M-\   4                       vap>    4
        C-x,TAB 4
2       M-u     2                       guw     3
        M--u    3                       gub     3
        M-bu    3                       vawu    4
2       M-q     2                       vapgq   5

COMMANDS

3       C-h,a   4                       :h      3
2       M-xp    3                       @:      4
        C-z     2                       .       1
1       C-xc    3+1                     :xa     4
2       C-x,`   5                       :cn     4

        FILES and BUFFERS

2       C-x,3   4                       C-wv    3
2       C-x,2   4                       :sp     4
3       C-xf    3                       :e      3
1       C-x,{|} 5                       C-w,>|< 5
1       C-x,+|- 4                       C-w,+|- 4
2       C-xs    3                       :w      3
1       C-x,s   4                       :xa     4
2       C-xb    3                       :ls     4
2       C-x,bRET5                       :bn     4
1       C-x,4bRET6                      C-w^    3
3       C-x,o   4                       C-ww    3
3       M-d,C-x,o7                      C-wh    3
2       C-x,4f  5                       C-w
2       C-x,1   4                       C-w,o   4
2       C-x,k   4                       :q      3
1       C-xr    3                       :vie


-- 
    Best wishes

    H. Dieter Wilhelm
    Darmstadt, Germany