On Tue, 20 Feb 2007 17:28:37 -0500, "Gene Kwiecinski" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> Pretty much so. Early dumbterminals (think ADM-3a and similar critters) > didn't have arrow keys, but they *did* go so far as to have little arrow > marks on the keycaps themselves, underneath the letters, on -- you > guessed it -- h/j/k/l. I remember using that sort of terminal. At one point I also had to use one where the escape key was so far from the rest of the keys that I almost had to get up and walk across the room to reach it, so for a long time I was accustomed to using Ctrl-[ in place of escape. As for getting into the "correct" habits, I don't think it matters. Use whatever works. If you're frequently moving between keyboards with different layouts then it helps to stick with the main key block as much as possible, but otherwise use what is the most comfortable. When editing a file I usually use hjkl for movement, but if all I'm doing is viewing a file then I rest my right hand next to the cursor keys and use them instead, as I find it to be a more relaxed position. If there is a vi philosophy it's a matter of being familiar with all the ways of moving around and being able to use them. For example, if you're on the word "moving" in the previous sentence and want to add something before the full stop then a vi master will type f.i or t.a to get there, while someone less advanced might hit w until they're in the right place, then i. The wrong way to do it is to hit the right arrow key over and over again or to reach for the mouse: that's the notepad way of working, and it tarnishes the soul. -- Matthew Winn
