VIM learning curve.. It takes 2 hours (at least it did for me 8 years ago) to go through vimtutor, which means you can do all the basic stuff like with any editor. That's it. From that point you can stay or go how ever far you want. From using the editor "the notepad level", go nuts by building a database of key shortcuts and commands in your head.

Is 2 hours a considerably "steep learning curve" for the thing you are going to look at and interact with 8 hours/day, 40 days/week, for the rest of your engineering career?