First Steps with Vim

For creating text files you need a text editor. And you are actually free to use your editor of choice. However, we suggest to use an editor that does not require a GUI (graphical user interface). Such editors have the advantage that you can use them efficiently together with ssh to create and edit files on another Unix server.

Quiz 1

On theon the submit command can be used to hand in solutions for programming exercises. The first quiz is just a practise for using submit:

  • Create a file quiz01.txt with the following content:

    session01/quiz01.txt 
    1
    hello, world!

  • If you have created this file on your local machine copy it to theon

  • On theon submit the file quiz01.txt with submit as follows: 

    theon$ submit hpc quiz01 quiz01.txt
processings tests: this may take a while..
* Submitted by: lehn (Michael Lehn)
* Compilation: successful
* Tests: 100% successful
* Result: submission accepted
theon$ 

Should I use Vim?

Furthermore, I personally recommend to use this semester as an opportunity to learn how to use Vim. Like every editor it has some advantages and disadvantages.

Disadvantages

It needs some practise to actually use Vim.

Advantages

When you search the web for “Reasons Why You Should Use Vi/Vim” you will find a lot. Here is another one: It is the only editor where I can give you any help. I simply don't know how to use any other editor.

Some Tutorial for vimtutor

Alternatives to Vim

On most Unix systems you have an editor called nano which can be used out of the box.

For German speakers: The CHAOS COMPUTER CLUB ULM organized an editor battle in which different editors where introduced: