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People sometimes ask me if it is a sin in the Church of Emacs to use vi. Using a free version of vi is not a sin; it is a penance. So happy hacking.
Richard Stallman
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Interpretation

What this quote means

Using the vi text editor in the Emacs community is seen as a lesser choice, almost a punishment;

Richard Stallman's quote humorously illustrates the rivalry between different text editors in programming culture, particularly between Emacs and vi. He suggests that while using vi isn't a sinful act, it's more of a self-imposed challenge or obligation for those who prefer the functionality and community of Emacs, promoting the idea of embracing one's preferred tools while acknowledging the existence of alternatives.

Themes

EmacsViText EditorsProgrammingCommunity

In practice

Example use cases

During a tech meetup, a speaker makes a lighthearted remark about their dedication to Emacs while referencing this quote.

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If programmers deserve to be rewarded for creating innovative programs, by the same token they deserve to be punished if they restrict the use of these programs.
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EMACS could not have been reached by a process of careful design, because such processes arrive only at goals which are visible at the outset, and whose desirability is established on the bottom line at the outset. Neither I nor anyone else visualized an extensible editor until I had made one, nor appreciated its value until he had experienced it. EMACS exists because I felt free to make individually useful small improvements on a path whose end was not in sight.
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One reason you should not use web applications to do your computing is that you lose control. It's just as bad as using a proprietary program. Do your own computing on your own computer with your copy of a freedom-respecting program. If you use a proprietary program or somebody else's web server, you're defenceless.
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Proprietary software is an injustice.
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Quote by Richard Stallman | QuoteProject