A Eulogy for Vim
drewdevault.com
March 25, 2026
5 min read
Summary
Vim has been integral to the author's writing process, with nearly all written content, including blog posts, code, and emails, being created using the software. The author describes a deep, intuitive relationship with Vim, where its modes and keybindings are second nature.
Key Takeaways
- The author has a deep personal connection to Vim, using it extensively for writing and coding throughout their life.
- Bram Moolenaar, the creator of Vim, passed away, and the author reflects on his altruistic commitment to providing education and healthcare to Ugandan children.
- The author expresses concern about the negative impacts of generative AI, including environmental issues, exploitation of workers, and the rise of fascism.
- To maintain their relationship with Vim, the author has forked the software, creating Vim Classic based on version 8.2.0148, prior to the introduction of Vim9 Script.
Community Sentiment
MixedPositives
- The maturity of Vim9 script is being leveraged by advanced AI development tools, showcasing the potential for enhanced productivity in coding workflows.
- GitHub Copilot's integration with Vim demonstrates how AI can assist in software development, potentially streamlining the coding process.
Concerns
- The AI boom is contributing to significant energy consumption, raising ethical concerns about its environmental impact and the displacement of jobs.
- Reliability issues have emerged in software where AI is responsible for the majority of commits, indicating potential risks in trusting AI-generated outputs.
Source
drewdevault.com
Published
March 25, 2026
Reading Time
5 minutes
Relevance Score
53/100
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