A luser spoiled by user-friendliness could ask why, 
at the end of the twentieth century, would cryptic, 
command-oriented systems still be used and even 
revered in some specialist circles, while working 
with computers could be so simple. The question is 
answered on the one hand with practical reasons - 
these good old tools like vi are manageable, take up 
small amounts of processing time and disk space, are 
universally available and can be used everywhere. 
In addition to this, once someone has learned how to 
use it, they do not want to have to unnecessarily 
learn something new. And finally, virtuosos go to 
areas of the computer that are closed off to lusers:
and here, in the heart of the system, they are much
better off with a traditional vi bush knife than 
with large, heavyweight luggage.  



Other reasons have to do with the artistic character 
and these reasons become easy to understand if one 
remembers that traditional instruments are played 
in concert halls and electronic organs with built-in 
rhythm computers and an arbitrary number of accompanying 
tunes are confined to use on the street or at home. 
Vi is a veritable violin, an icon which can be clicked 
on is piped muzak. The instrument must be mastered. 
And the mastery is what is admired, not pressing 
buttons. Anyone can do that.