As for down-voting on HN. There's plenty of evidence that it is badly broken. It's funny to watch the Apple fan-boys down-vote on emotion when you even peripherally chafe their idols. The emotion is evident from the fact that substantive posts are down-voted when nothing is materially wrong or offensive about them.
Most of it is also what I call chicken-shit down-voting. No explanation and no reason given. You are accusing me for voicing a contrarian opinion without sufficient explanation. What about down-voting without any explanation whatsoever? I have only down-voted a post once and I went out of my way to explain why I did so. I believe I owe this much to someone if I am going to exercise that right. And so, that is my policy: If I down-vote I have to take the time to explain why. Otherwise I don't do it.
It is clear that the HN culture --at least the one exhibited on this thread-- is that vi/vim are fantastic. So be it. I don't have time to screw around with this topic any more and fend off fan-boy attacks. I suspect the same is true of your case.
I have used a myriad of tools over the years. The only use I have for vi/vim is when I have no choice but to use them. I remember when keyboards didn't even have function keys. In those days these kinds of tools made sense. Today? No. Not any more. You don't have to see it my way. And that's OK.
> they increase the ratio of work done to the amount of text-editing
I would challenge you to quantify that in the context of a real project, concept to completion. I would be willing to wager that vi/vim don't contribute one iota towards the completion of the project.
I have yet to do a project where anyone even remotely said: Wow, that text editor saved us hours of work.
That aspect of the adoration of vi/vim is what I see as ridiculous. I simply don't think that any of it is materially significant to the timeline of any non-trivial project.
Then again, I really don't care to continue on this thread because it truly is a waste of time for all involved. So we are done.
Conclusions:
1- No contrarian opinion of vi/vim will be tolerated by HN vi/vim users.
2- vi/vim are fantastic.
3- Anyone even remotely thinking of suggesting otherwise just doesn't get it.
I can live with that. No problem.