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Emacs vs Vim

Emacs started first, in 1976, 16 years before Vim.

Emacs 50y 200d since 1976 · Standing started first Vim 34y 319d since 1991 · Standing

Why Emacs lasted

  • It is a Lisp machine that happens to edit text, so every generation reimplements their life inside it.
  • The Church of Emacs is a real distribution channel. Jokes keep it staffed.

Why Vim lasted

  • Muscle memory is a moat. hjkl is a tattoo.
  • It is everywhere: every server, every SSH session, every container that forgot to install nano.

Questions

Which is older, Emacs or Vim?

Emacs started first, in 1976, 16 years before Vim.

How long has Emacs been running?

Emacs has been up 50 years 200 days, since 1976-03-01.

How long has Vim been running?

Vim has been up 34 years 319 days, since 1991-11-02.

More editors comparisons

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Dates are founding dates from the written entries. Play which is older, or see the oldest editors still running.