Learning the vi Editor (6th Edition) Reviews

• A Very Good Intro To and Reference For vi

  
  By A117UE8693C6PM on 2000-01-06
  The 6th edition of this book is excellent! For the novice, it is very readable, and is able to bring a user up to speed quickly with simple, solid coverage of the basics.

  It is also an excellent resource for the more advanced users, with good informative coverage of advanced editting techniques w/vi. The section on the various clones is also well done.

  If you get this book, it is worth getting the little vi Editor Pocket Reference book, too, because its small size (~ 7" x 4" & 72 pages), makes it a convenient and easy to use reference book. I keep one of these little guys by the home linux machine, and another one at the office, too.
  
  

• vi is addicting - impress your friends

  
  By A3TLY1A7NGVCQM on 2004-07-01
  When you see someone that knows what they are doing writing with vi you will be amazed. Get a taste of it yourself and you will be hooked.

  vi is powerful beyond belief and honestly I had been using it for years before I got this wonderful book from O'Reilly. The power of vi is revealing in this easy to use and well structured reference and learning aid.

  Impress your friends with some of the little known and used features and functions. The authio Linda Lamb certainly knows her way around the editor so pay careful attention to the examples she uses to illustrate functions. Many of these can be used almost as-is in your daily work.

  I suppose with all the latest WYSWYG word processors vi seems a little dated, but using vi I can create, edit, copy and manipulate documents in a fraction of the time others can by clicking and drilling in a windowed application.

  I love vi. It's the raw power thats addicting. Yeah sometimes you can really screw the pooch with a typo but generally vi is fairly forgiving. I should know, my typing stinks but vi is generally kind to me when I mess up.

  I rated this book highly in spite of I would have liked a few more examples, but the examples Lamb included are very representative of what you as a user may need and actually use.

  This is a typical O'Reilly book - excellent and a worthy addition to any serious compter professionals library.

  Hey I just heard that vi is available even to Windows lamers.

  Try it folks, give your mouse finger a badly needed rest. Going to vi is like getting out of Chevy Impala into an Indy car. The Chevy may have better seats and A/C, but when you touch that gas pedal you'll be hooked.
  
  

• Great Introduction

  
  By A3AW8Y8GILMAC3 on 1999-12-09
  This book not only covered basic vi, but also variants such as vim, elvis, and more. I knew next to nothing going into this book, and by the end of the first few chapters, I was VERY comfortable with this often scary editor. Now that I know many of the powerful features, there's no going back to the others...
  
  

• Essential material clearly presented

  
  By on 1999-11-08
  Vi is a powerful yet difficult editor to learn in the beginning. Although there is an abundance of references on the web, it is very difficult to learn the editor effectively without a book. Even more difficult to learn is the advanced features of the editor. The book has definitely made the learning process as painless as possible. The chapters are arranged in such a way that the reader can learn the editor incrementally without being fed too much information at once. At the end of each chapter there is a reference so the reader can refresh what he/she has learned in the chapter. (This also makes the book a very good reference.) What I like most about the book is in Part II of the book: "Extensions and Clones." The book first gives a summary of all the common USEFUL features of the clonse. Then, in subsequent chapters, the author shows how to use the features in each of the clones. This has made my life much easier because I can look up what I need and then go to the particular chapter (in my case, vim) for the information in the sub-chapter.
  
  

• This book covers vi, nvi, elvis, vim, and vile

  
  By A20EEWWSFMZ1PN on 2005-04-16
  vi (visual) is probably one of the most flexible editors (notice it is an editor not a word processor) that one can use. There are several ways to accomplish the same common tasks. There are so many ways in fact that most people learn just a subset of commands and string them together to do their editing instead of learning the more exotic commands.
  
  The advantage of an editor besides speed and simplicity is that you will not inadvertently place visually hidden code in the program as you can easily do with a word processor.
  
  People got so used to this editor on dos based environments. You can still use the command line editor after the colon at the foot of the screen. When you find and use the abilities of vi you will wonder what you did without it.
  
  This book is a great starting place abd you may never need another.
  
  The Topics include:
  
  - Basic editing
  - Moving around in a hurry
  - Beyond the basics
  - Greater power with ex
  - Global search and replacement
  - Customizing vi and ex
  - Command shortcuts
  - Introduction to vi clones' extensions
  - The nvi, elvis, vim, and vile editors
  - Summary of vi and ex commands
  - Vi and the internet
  
  The examples are quite clear and plentiful.
  
  
  
  
• A great book on this topic
  By on 2000-02-11
  This book covers all the trick and traps to the Vi editor. It is an excellent source for anyone who wants to learn vi. It also is excellent for those who want to go beyond the basic.
  
  
• A good tutorial for a GREAT editor
  By on 2001-07-01
  If you're going to spend a significant part of your LIFE, editing text files, wouldn't it be worthwhile to get GOOD at it & learn a powerful tool that's been carefully adapted to the job...I have only a couple points to add, about the book. Although it gets you up-to-speed quickly, you must diligently read the first half (the second half of the book details most of the common vi clones) & PRACTICE everything you learn, if you're to truly unleash the power of this well-crafted tool of our trade. vi's power comes from the ability to combine various parts of its rich command-set, to concisely and naturally describe just about any editing operation you wish to perform. For this reason, complete fluency, with the majority of the commands, is very important - and that's where this book shines.
  
  
• Great for Beginners and Experts - Intro and Reference
  By A22SS6DCM3B0HP on 2001-06-15
  It's often said that there are very few quality computer books in the world, but this is most definitely one of them.

  If you've never used the vi editor before, this book is for you and if you've been using it for years, this book is also for you.

  The book is organized so that the reader can start at an introductory level in the first couple of chapters and learn how to use the editor. Then as the user gets comfortable, they can go back and read the next couple of chapters and learn a great deal more. I've done this several times over several years, and my editing abilities STILL increase dramatically afterwards.

  The book also goes into good detail regarding the vi clones in later chapters. I personally use gvim and found the section with specifics on vim to be of great help.

  The bottom line? The book is extremely well organized and absolutely thorough in covering the topic. The book was written in 1998 and the information is still up to date. And given the fact that it's a computer book costing less than 30 dollars, the actual *value* of the book deserves 10 stars!
  
  

• Another great reference from O'Reilly
  By AYMPVLWFKTAYE on 2002-03-07
  O'Reilly & Associates, well-known for quality computer references, have once again done a superb job with this manual for vi. This Unix text editor can often be intimidating for those who haven't been exposed to it, but once a bit of time is spent with vi, it becomes second-nature. This book greatly helps in that endeavor.

  Using this book, in conjunction with making vi my default PINE editor (thereby forcing me to become fluent with it, lest my email use become rather slow and awkward,) provided a huge speed boost in learning the vi editor. Vi is very powerful, and is almost always included on every unmodified Unix install. These items, coupled with the fact that vi doesn't automatically insert line breaks (like pico does) make it one of the most-preferred text editors amongst Unix sys-admins.

  Not only does _Learning the vi Editor_ cover the essentials, but moves beyond basic editing functions into more powerful features, such as global searches & replacements, customizing the editor, "moving around in a hurry," command combinations, and other advanced vi features. For even better results in using vi, pick up a copy of O'Reilly's _sed & awk_, though it's not necessary for effective vi use.

  _Learning the vi Editor_ is written in a friendly, casual voice, and Linda Lamb provides what your input and output will look like for most commands, interspersed with comments that put the reader at ease, such as "Qute forboding, isn't it?" followed by reasons not to be intimidated.

  This book will help just about anyone conquer the mighty vi tool, and will help prove vi's superiority over any other Unix text editor. (Ahem - no offense to the emacs gurus out there.)
  
  

• Learn how to Master VI
  By A18RZ493P29JW5 on 2002-04-07
  I've been playing with Linux and BSD for a few years now, if your like like me you've played with emacs and vi, learned how to use the basic commands you needed at the time, and never took the time to really sit down and master one of the editors. I decided to get this book, sit down and take a few hours to learn how some of the lesser known vi fuctions could help free up some time. I highly recommend picking up this book, it is extremly useful, and the best part is the fact that it is a quick and interesting read!
  
  
• Helped me to grok vi
  By on 2004-05-30
  I had made a couple of attempts to learn vi before, and I just didn't get it. This book made it fairly easy, and introduced me to the power and speed of vi. It lets you get started quickly, with an extremely clean, organized presentation. After a short time using vi I'm convinced that emacs is much more difficult to use properly than vi, and that windows-like editors may be simple to use but they are crippled compared to the functionality of vi. If you use a text editor more than once or twice a week do yourself a favor and learn vi. If you use different unix / linux systems you are almost compelled to learn vi since it is the only editor that's always available. This book also covers vi variants, such as the superb vim.
  
  
• vi is addicting - impress your friends
  By A3TLY1A7NGVCQM on 2004-07-01
  When you see someone that knows what they are doing writing with vi you will be amazed. Get a taste of it yourself and you will be hooked.

  vi is powerful beyond belief and honestly I had been using it for years before I got this wonderful book from O'Reilly. The power of vi is revealing in this easy to use and well structured reference and learning aid.

  Impress your friends with some of the little known and used features and functions. The authio Linda Lamb certainly knows her way around the editor so pay careful attention to the examples she uses to illustrate functions. Many of these can be used almost as-is in your daily work.

  I suppose with all the latest WYSWYG word processors vi seems a little dated, but using vi I can create, edit, copy and manipulate documents in a fraction of the time others can by clicking and drilling in a windowed application.

  I love vi. It's the raw power thats addicting. Yeah sometimes you can really screw the pooch with a typo but generally vi is fairly forgiving. I should know, my typing stinks but vi is generally kind to me when I mess up.

  I rated this book highly in spite of I would have liked a few more examples, but the examples Lamb included are very representative of what you as a user may need and actually use.

  This is a typical O'Reilly book - excellent and a worthy addition to any serious compter professionals library.

  Hey I just heard that vi is available even to Windows lamers.

  Try it guys. Going to vi is like getting out of Chevy Impala into an Indy car. The Chevy may have better seats and A/C, but when you touch that gas pedal you'll be hooked.
  
  

• THE VI reference
  By A3QGY1QF1QEP44 on 2005-06-29
  This book is the reference for those wanting to understand the mysteries of Vi. Almost all Unix based systems typically have a variant of the Vi editor installed, even when the system is in a limited use state, therefore an understanding of this no-nonsense editor is crucial if you want to administer or recover your system. This makes the Vi the editor to know, and this book guides you through the basics to more advanced "tricks" used by the guru's. Even if you only plan on casually using Vi, you can't lose having this book in your library.
  
  
• Comprehensive Guide to Mastering vi
  By A36MZR61TL21PN on 2000-09-16
  I began using vi because I was forced to. Where I work, there are many different flavors of UNIX and the only common editor that is on them is vi. So I began using vi referring to the commands listed in the UNIX in a Nutshell book. I was lost. I never understood why anyone would use this editor.

  This book starts at the very beginning. It assumes no prior knowledge of vi or any other editor yet the beginning is very concise so you don't feel like you're wasting time which is a nice balance. You can quickly move through the chapters and you notice that not only can you work with vi, its actually very nice to never have to use the mouse or press some complicated key sequence to get what you need done. After the first few chapters, you can probably perform 90% of the tasks you need to perform. If you make it past Chapter 7, you are a vi guru. Now, I use vi whenever I can. I even have a bash shell for Windows that has vi and that is basically what I use for most editing. I would recommend this book to anyone, mainly of course those who work in the UNIX environment, that has to do text editing. Its a quick way to learn what you need to to get your work done and get vi working for you instead of the other way around.
  
  

• The Best Guide To Using vi
  By A260HPXUTLD8VV on 2001-04-21
  vi has a well-deserved reputation as being one of the least friendly editors in the UNIX world. This book, however, makes vi relatively painless to use, even for those accustomed to GUIs. Nowadays vi tends to be used mostly for quick editing of configuration scripts and the expansive amount of detail here is not likely to be that useful to people except those who plan to use vi almost exclusively. If you follow the examples, and practive using vi while reading this book, however, you will find that it does cover all the basics well and that you will feel quite at home with this much-maligned text editor. Most of this information is available freely on the net, but it not collected in one place in such an orderly fashion as this. Much of the advanced features will probably be rarely used, but if you spend a fortnight with this book in front of a UNIX or Linux box, you will find that you will be a vi pro in no time!
  
  
• Vi is the best editor....
  By on 2000-02-26
  Inspite of being as old as it is, vi is simply the best editor. Last week, I ran into an unusual situation. One of my files from a scientific package grew very big (something like 1 GB). I tried emacs, dtpad and all the other editors on it and they all gave up, either with an error message or without one. I was amazed to see vi OPEN the file after 3 minutes. Old is Gold! Vi saved the day for me!
  
  
• Quite good -- if only there were more examples...
  By on 2003-09-07
  First, I unequivocally recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn the vi editor used on UNIX and Linux systems. The book is well laid out and well written.

  There are, however, two things I think would make this good book even better: (1) step-by-step examples of some of the more complex vi techniques and (2) some on-line example files available from the O'Reilly Web site. On-line example files are employed to advantage by other O'Reilly books (O'Reilly's "sed & awk" comes immediately to mind). Providing some hands-on example files to work with would definitely help anyone using this book to learn the vi editor.

  Having said that, this book in its current form will teach you more than enough to use vi effectively. For those who are just starting to use vi to do real work, I'd also recommend acquiring the companion "vi Editor Pocket Reference."
  
  

• Beginner to Advanced, Comprehensive Guide to Reference
  By AQTUR74NCRYTE on 2005-09-29
  This book is well written and laid out. Whether or not you are a beginner or advanced user coming to vi, this is a valuable tool for getting the most out of vi.
  
  vi is by no means an easy or intuitive editor, but with a little practice, it can greatly improve your efficiency. The book does a great job of taking you through a logical progression of how to start using the product.
  
  Also, the support for the derivatives of vi is a huge plus. The vim chapter is excellent and I learned several tips and trick that I now use on a daily basis.
  
  As usual, O'Reilly hits another one out of the park.
  
  
• Helps you discover the full power of VI.
  By AD4M4NWH4OCSU on 1998-03-05
  Although it is a little wordy, this book serves as an excellent resource for anyone wanting a FAST editor - expecially programmers. The power and speed of VI can be hidden behind its obscure user interface, but once you understand it you will never want to use another editor. The detachable quick reference card included in the back of the book is really nice to have. The coverage of VIs features is pretty thorough, even VI experts will be able to learn a thing or two from this well written book.
  
  
• Fabulously simple and downright fun
  By A3FPZMRKRAH6GW on 2001-07-22
  I was dreading learning the VI editor because it seemed to be a very nitpicky, detailed program. However, it seems Lamb/Robbins know what they're doing, because I'm effortlessly learning the material for a college class right now. They attack all sorts of scenarios, use helpful visuals amply, and give VERY HELPFUL charts to review at the end of each chapter. I wish I saw such helpful characteristics in other computer books. Great going!
  
  
• A Must Have!
  By on 1999-12-03
  This book will help you to work smarter. With this book, I'm discovering so many powerful commands that I never knew existed. This is one of the better books in my collection....even if most of my collection is made up of books from O'Reilly & Associates. These books are wells of information. This book is fantastic!
  
  
• makes an ugly editor bearable
  By A23NOI9IGFWZHL on 1999-05-04
  This book gathers a great deal of information that you can get for free over the web, and puts it into a nice place on your bookshelf. Not a "GREAT" piece of work at all, but then, neither is the VI editor. The true value for me was it's references and comparisons to VI clones that are on the market that you will quickly want to download once you start realizing how awfull VI really is.
  
  
• A must have book
  By AF62JFG7OJJ8H on 1999-10-16
  Like all O'Reilly's books this is a must have. I use vi every day since a long time now (at work) and I have discovered in this book many tips I ignored for too much time. Beside all the things I knew already I found a brand new look to my favorite editor. Great. Even if I'm french :-)
  
  
• Good guide to a GREAT editor
  By on 1999-08-19
  Inspite of "user-friendly" editors like pico (which is for kids), and emacs (which has useless features for most users), vi is simple and easy to use, once you learn the basics. I have used vi for 4 years now and never have I felt any need to switch to another editor, not even xedit. Learn vi if you want to be a true UNIX user.
  
  
• Best VI book yet
  By A987W7WUQE2RP on 2000-10-24
  I knew little about VI before reading this book, but I now i feel very comfortable using it. I like the layout and the fact that it has references and summaries all over the book. This is a book you will most likely use again and again. My only complaint were the chapters on advanced editing which were hard to understand if you are not versed in regular expressions (hence the 4 stars). Still, I learned much from this book, and hope you will too. VIVA Oreilly!
  
  
• Another brilliant book from the O'Reilly crew.
  By A35UIYSKD6PVEG on 2001-03-30
  For most people on the planet VI makes about as much sense as brain surgery, possible less!

  This wonderful reference book allows the beginner to jump in and start using the powerful VI editor.

  This book has made the process of understanding and learning VI simple with its concise and clear writing.

  The chapters are arrange so that you get the basic commands early and only get the more advanced commands as you move further into the book.

  Each chapter ends with a review of the material presented and this makes for a great reference of the commands.

  All in all this is a must have book for anyone that uses the VI editor.
  
  

• The best VI reference I've ever used!
  By A27CF4UUCMVP84 on 2002-05-21
  The only problem with this book is learning vi and remembering all the commands you can do with vi! VI is the BEST editor there is! *PERIOD* YEah that's right!...
  
  
• must-have for vi users
  By A14I7UJ4C0J9IM on 2000-06-03
  This book is a must-have for all those die-hard vi users.
  
  
• Excellent...the VI Bible
  By on 1999-07-30
  I have used this book at my workplace for some time, and it is an excellent book. A must for any serious VI users. Now I am actually buying it so that I can quickly grab it for reference, instead of running down the hall to grab your friends copy.
  
  
• A GREAT BOOK!!!
  By A1ATTUGWM7K4PS on 1998-08-07
  It made my job a lot easier!!!
  
  

• VI Editor Pocket Reference
• Classic Shell Scripting
• sed & awk (2nd Edition)
• Learning the bash Shell: Unix Shell Programming (In a Nutshell (O'Reilly))
• Mastering Regular Expressions