RUB. When the RUB (rubout) key is typed while holding down the SHIFT key, a non-displayable rubout code (ASCII DEL) is transmitted to the computer. The cursor is not advanced and the character code stored in display memory is not overwritten. RUB is normally used to tell the computer that a previous character should be deleted.
HERE IS. If the Answer Back option is installed, typing this key transmits an identification message (stored in a special ADM-3A memory) that identifies the terminal and alerts the host computer that a message is to follow. If no Answer Back option is installed, the key has no function.
¹ https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=13539552
Well, j and k are fine if you're not moving far. A lot of slow scrolling up and down should be { and } or C-d and C-u or <count>[jk]. Even better: Use / and ?. It's bad to be repeatedly tapping j and k or waiting for the keys to repeat.
But h and l are the EMACS approach. You should be moving in a line with w, e, b, f, F, t, T, ^, $, I, A, 0, and the like. Vi provides lots of tools for efficient line editing and h and l are not good.
Beginners should try
:noremap h <nop>
:noremap l <nop>
Lately I use
:no h ^
:no l $
Something I, as a dedicated VIM user, will never do. 'hjkl' work fine, and are a good addition to 'we{}$0' and so forth. I can't personally find the value of hobbling myself for the sake of meeting someone else's definition of the ideal user.
I even occasionally use the arrow keys. Heresy, I know.
Is that also the origin of '^' being start of line in a regex?
Probably not, since the IBM XT was five years in the future.
The canonical vi keyboard is the ADM-3A. http://terminals-wiki.org/wiki/index.php/File:Lear_Siegler_A... Escape is almost as accessible as Control.
The ADM-3A also explains why shells use ‘~’ to represent the home directory.