Vi predating certain paradigms explains why it doesn't follow them. But it doesn't make it any easier for a random developer who grew up in the context of those paradigms. A new developer wondering whether they should adopt some modern vi is not being unreasonable for searching out something that does follow the prevailing customs. (But they are on a fools errand, because there are exactly zero good general purpose developer environments and the question I have is which of gvim, intellij or vscodium pisses me off least today.)