for text editing and specifically text editing code... vim's command set is amazing. it's short verbs for editing text that are easily remembered.

d delete

c change

t 'til

f find

a after

i insert

u undo

o open a new line

p paste or put

n next occurance

b back a word

y yank (copy)

v visual

ect.

coupled with an object that are less friendly to learn but there aren't that many of them

w word

e end of word

( sentence

{ paragraph

text blocks are directly what you want to change

" double quotes

' single quotes

( parenthesis

{ curly brackets

t tag

ci( change inside the (

da" deletes around the double quote, etc.

it's easy to compose sentences for editing text.

this person does more to explain why: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/1218390/what-is-your-most...