[momszack]

Not really. Vi has fewer modes than just about every word processor or editor in history. It has 3 core modes (2 major ones). Most word processors have countless more “modes” for even doing things like search and replace, and emacs has the mini buffer.

The vi design principal is that a limited number of modes used frequently is better than numerous specialized ones used leas frequently.

Any HCI dweeb that thinks 2 clearly visible modes is somehow inherently less usable than any alternative can fight me. And they’re full of shit on this in general. It’s not like they have the quality data to prove this, it’s always been something that has been taken for granted, avoid modes, just because there are a few examples (some catastrophic) of it being done poorly.

Edit: I mean really has anyone seen an experienced user use vi? You think from the HCI navel gazers that they would be half the time fumbling over what mode they’re in. Less talk, more observation.