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Learning Vim

  • The Vim help screen starts with:

                            VIM - main help file
                                                                           k
          Move around:  Use the cursor keys, or "h" to go left,        h   l
                        "j" to go down, "k" to go up, "l" to go right.   j
    Close this window:  Use ":q<Enter>".
       Get out of Vim:  Use ":qa!<Enter>" (careful, all changes are lost!).
    
    Jump to a subject:  Position the cursor on a tag (e.g. |bars|) and hit CTRL-].
       With the mouse:  ":set mouse=a" to enable the mouse (in xterm or GUI).
                        Double-click the left mouse button on a tag, e.g. |bars|.
            Jump back:  Type CTRL-T or CTRL-O (repeat to go further back).
    

    This first contact with the famous but unusual text editor might be improved by adding a hint for users of non-US keyboards. For example when using an Estonian keyboard, it should say :kbd`CTRL-ä` instead of :kbd`CTRL-]`.

  • I don’t really believe the following statement of the Vim tutorial:

    NOTE: The cursor keys should also work.  But using hjkl you will be able to
    move around much faster, once you get used to it.  Really!