--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: VI was predecessor to hundreds of word…" description: "\"“VI was predecessor to hundreds of word processing systems. By now, Unix folks see it as a bit stodgy—it hasn’t the versatility of Gnu-Emacs, nor the f..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f8/clifford-stoll-13747_quote_vi-was-predecessor-to-hundreds-of-word-p_73465.jpg" --- # VI was predecessor to hundreds of word processing systems… ![“VI was predecessor to hundreds of word processing systems. By now, Unix folks see it as a bit stodgy—it hasn’t the versatility of Gnu-Emacs, nor the friendliness of more modern editors. Despite that, VI shows up on every Unix system.” quote by Clifford Stoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f8/clifford-stoll-13747_quote_vi-was-predecessor-to-hundreds-of-word-p_73465.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f8/clifford-stoll-13747_quote_vi-was-predecessor-to-hundreds-of-word-p_73465.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f8/clifford-stoll-13747_quote_vi-was-predecessor-to-hundreds-of-word-p_73465.jpg) > ““VI was predecessor to hundreds of word processing systems. By now, Unix folks see it as a bit stodgy—it hasn’t the versatility of Gnu-Emacs, nor the friendliness of more modern editors. Despite that, VI shows up on every Unix system.”” [Clifford Stoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clifford-stoll/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. VI is a foundational text editor that, despite its dated interface, remains ubiquitous on Unix systems due to its reliability and low resource usage. **In simple terms:** Legacy editor still prevalent Key Takeaway Reliability outweighs modern polish Themes legacy technology usability resource efficiency software ubiquity human-computer interaction Mood nostalgic pragmatic Type observational technical When to use this quote - system administration - remote shell sessions - embedded devices - educational settings Key Concepts command-line interface text editing software longevity Practical Applications - training new developers - maintaining minimal installations Questions to Reflect On - Why do some tools persist despite newer alternatives? - How does simplicity contribute to longevity? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Systems Unix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/systems-unix-957339/) [Technology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/technology/) [Unix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unix/) [Versatility Gnu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/versatility-gnu-957340/) [Vi Predecessor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vi-predecessor-957342/) [Word Processing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/word-processing-957341/) ## Related quotes > [The manual for WordStar, the most popular word-processing program, is 400 pages thick. To write a novel, you have to read a novel -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/the-manual-for-wordstar-the-most-popular-word-processing-program-is/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [After ten years of word processing, I can't even do hand writing anymore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/after-ten-years-of-word-processing-i-can-t-even-do-hand-writing/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [“In the seventies I used to work in the bedroom of my flat at a little table. I worked in longhand with a fountain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mcewan/in-the-seventies-i-used-to-work-in-the-bedroom-of-my-flat-at-a-little/) [Ian McEwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mcewan/) > [Machines are designed not to be random. When you call up a word processing program on your computer, you don't want it to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-sheldrake/machines-are-designed-not-to-be-random-when-you-call-up-a-word/) [Rupert Sheldrake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-sheldrake/) > [Editing is now the easiest thing on earth to do, and all the things that evolved out of word processing - 'Oh, let's put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-eno/editing-is-now-the-easiest-thing-on-earth-to-do-and-all-the-things/) [Brian Eno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-eno/) > [The beauty of word processing, God bless my word processor, is that it keeps the plotting very fluid. The prose becomes like a liquid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-grafton/the-beauty-of-word-processing-god-bless-my-word-processor-is-that-it/) [Sue Grafton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-grafton/) > [The downside of word processing - it's quite possible to never end a work-in-progress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-starlin/the-downside-of-word-processing-it-s-quite-possible-to-never-end-a/) [Jim Starlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-starlin/) > [“I actually like it. It does everything I want a word processing program to do, and it doesn't do anything else. I don't want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/i-actually-like-it-it-does-everything-i-want-a-word-processing/) [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) > [Now the whole point about machines is they are designed not to be random. When you call up a word processing program on your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-sheldrake/now-the-whole-point-about-machines-is-they-are-designed-not-to-be/) [Rupert Sheldrake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-sheldrake/) > [Obviously Linux owes its heritage to UNIX, but not its code. We would not, nor will not, make such a claim.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darl-mcbride/obviously-linux-owes-its-heritage-to-unix-but-not-its-code-we-would/) [Darl McBride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darl-mcbride/) > [“There are two major products that come out of Berkeley: LSD and UNIX. We don’t believe this to be a coincidence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-s-anderson/there-are-two-major-products-that-come-out-of-berkeley-lsd-and-unix/) [Jeremy S. Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-s-anderson/) > [In my experience, telling someone to switch Unix shells for ease of use is like telling him to switch cigarette brands for his health.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-espinosa/in-my-experience-telling-someone-to-switch-unix-shells-for-ease-of/) [Chris Espinosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-espinosa/) > [Unix is a junk OS designed by a committee of PhDs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-cutler/unix-is-a-junk-os-designed-by-a-committee-of-phds/) [Dave Cutler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-cutler/) > [Unix gives you just enough rope to hang yourself - and then a couple of more feet, just to be sure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-allman/unix-gives-you-just-enough-rope-to-hang-yourself-and-then-a-couple-of/) [Eric Allman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-allman/) > [Unix is back in vogue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murphy-j-foster-jr/unix-is-back-in-vogue/) [Murphy J. Foster, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murphy-j-foster-jr/) ## More by Clifford Stoll > [Rather than bringing me closer to others, the time that I spend online isolates me from the most important people in my life, my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clifford-stoll/rather-than-bringing-me-closer-to-others-the-time-that-i-spend-online/) [Clifford Stoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clifford-stoll/) > [It's easier to apologize afterwards than getting something allowed in the first place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clifford-stoll/it-s-easier-to-apologize-afterwards-than-getting-something-allowed-in/) [Clifford Stoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clifford-stoll/) > [Data isn't information, any more than fifty tons of cement is a skyscraper.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clifford-stoll/data-isn-t-information-any-more-than-fifty-tons-of-cement-is-a/) [Clifford Stoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clifford-stoll/) > [Treat your password like your toothbrush. Don't let anybody else use it, and get a new one every six months.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clifford-stoll/treat-your-password-like-your-toothbrush-don-t-let-anybody-else-use/) [Clifford Stoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clifford-stoll/) > [There is a difference between having access to information and having the savvy it takes to interpret it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clifford-stoll/there-is-a-difference-between-having-access-to-information-and-having/) [Clifford Stoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clifford-stoll/) > [No computer network with pretty graphics can ever replace the salespeople that make our society work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clifford-stoll/no-computer-network-with-pretty-graphics-can-ever-replace-the/) [Clifford Stoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clifford-stoll/) > [If you don't have an e-mail address, you're in the Netherworld. 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It’s easy to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clifford-stoll/over-the-past-decade-stallman-created-a-powerful-editing-program/) [Clifford Stoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clifford-stoll/) > [The truth is no online database will replace your daily newspaper, no CD-ROM can take the place of a competent teacher and no computer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clifford-stoll/the-truth-is-no-online-database-will-replace-your-daily-newspaper-no/) [Clifford Stoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clifford-stoll/) > [Spending an evening on the World Wide Web is much like sitting down to a dinner of Cheetos, two hours later your fingers are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clifford-stoll/spending-an-evening-on-the-world-wide-web-is-much-like-sitting-down/) [Clifford Stoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clifford-stoll/) > [The virtual community? The word virtual does not mean "virtue." It means "not." When I go to the store and they say: The shirt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clifford-stoll/the-virtual-community-the-word-virtual-does-not-mean-virtue-it-means/) [Clifford Stoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clifford-stoll/) > [Call me a troglodyte; I'd rather peruse those photos alongside my sweetheart, catch the newspaper on the way to work, and page thorough a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clifford-stoll/call-me-a-troglodyte-i-d-rather-peruse-those-photos-alongside-my/) [Clifford Stoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clifford-stoll/) > [All truth is one. In this light, may science and religion endeavor here for the steady evolution of mankind, from darkness to light, from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clifford-stoll/all-truth-is-one-in-this-light-may-science-and-religion-endeavor-here/) [Clifford Stoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clifford-stoll/) [Explore all 48 Clifford Stoll quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clifford-stoll/) ## More Technology quotes > [But we are convinced that if we are to play a meaningful role nationally, and in the community of nations, we must be second…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-sarabhai/but-we-are-convinced-that-if-we-are-to-play-a-meaningful-role/) [Vikram Sarabhai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-sarabhai/) > [“This story is not at all an uncommon one in tech circles, including gaming. 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