Installation If you don't have a preferred installation method, I recommend installing [pathogen.vim](https://github.com/tpope/vim-pathogen), and then simply copy and paste: cd ~/.vim/bundle git clone git://github.com/rking/vim-joy.git Once you run :Helptags you can view the manual with :help joy *joy.txt* Esc key where Bill Joy had his. Author: ☈king <http://github.com/rking> License: Utterly CC0/PD INTRODUCTION tl;dr: :imap <tab> <esc> (See: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vi#Creation >) IBM made some really odd decisions in popularizing the current keyboard, so we're taking the power back. This is the real heart of vim-joy. Just make it so hitting tab in Insert mode gets you out into Normal mode. The only extra complexity is due to the "Training Wheels" needed to get used to not being able to hit tab normally. This is most surprising when: * When on an empty line, meaning "increase indent". Use <C-t> instead. * When in the middle of a line, and trying to line things up. I don't have an exact solution for this, other than to do the work in Normal mode (e.g. with <C-v> combined with << and >>) To affect the behavior of this plugin, you can either: let g:joy_pure = 1 Commit to using <C-t> instead of <Tab> for indentation. At this point it becomes identical in behavior to Insert Mode <Tab> == <Esc>. let g:joy_mixed = 1 To turn off the nag message, and forget about <C-t> for indent. TEMPORARILY Sometimes you want to affect the behavior only for this session (e.g. for pair programming with someone who isn't feeling it) To go back to impure mode: :unlet g:joy_pure To make <Tab> be default in behavior: :unimap <Tab> THANKS Thanks to tpope, as always! ABOUT Grab the latest version or report a bug on Github: http://github.com/rking/vim-joy vim:tw=78:et:ft=help:norl: