I don't agree whatsoever.

I set mouse=r in my vimrc since I only ever use the mouse for copy/paste and have no problems whatsoever pasting.

But there is another alternative: did you know that vim keeps a buffer between sessions? - ie you can copy from a file open in vim using the usual vim visual mode, close that file, open second file and paste.

Hi,

'vim' is the improved 'vi'. Most Gnu/Linux ship with 'vim' or vi which is a link to 'elvis on my machine';Again, please check your system 'man' for explanation(s). Look through the install and find out what is linked to what;
So not to doubt your situation but you should check the install. Funny it's on both machines as errors. Same media used for both?

It is about ten years now, that I run elvis. One day, I found vi is a link to elvis in slackware. Some years ago, I discovered vim. I have read the expression Vi IMproved many a time before your post.

What I see, is that using vim or emacs, takes reading a thousand helps to do the tiniest thing. Else you must have a vim curriculum. Is vi so awful? And what I was trying to mean with my saying, is that vim was, perhaps, an unnecessary addition. Another saying. Why to fix it if it's not broken?

And may be one day you slow down with your "read-the-man-pages-thing". I would appreciate it.

Hi,

It is obvious that you do not use available documentation with the continued type of queries that are made.

How else will you learn? Either by experimentation or utilize available information to help you perform or do operations without delay by using what is at hand.

If you don't care about making use of Vim-specific features that aren't in vi, you can learn using the same resources you use to learn vi.

Also, Vim isn't an unnecessary addition. It has many great features that I use all the time, mainly tabs and syntax highlighting.

While I can't help you with the issues you're having with copy and paste in virtual terminals (I very rarely use them, also don't have gpm installed to test it), I wanted to chime in and comment on your remark about Vim being an "unnecessary addition".

You're comparing vim with vi, but the fact is that vi you're using is another clone of it, elvis (at least it is in default Slackware installation). There's a reason why we have clones now and not the original vi: it wasn't free software back then (only recently it was released as BSD software). That is, there was a real need to create these "unnecessary additions". And it's only natural for software to evolve when people use it and see new ways to improve it, hence why both vim and elvis (yes, it has more features than original vi) have various enhancements like multiple buffers, windows, etc. Here's another example which I couldn't live without and which vim does have: multiple undo levels. Original vi lacks it. Elvis lacks it (unless there's an option for that which is turned off by default).

Is vim complex? Definitely. Do you have to use all its features? Not at all. Use what you really need. And you can still enjoy some very handy additions like the ones I already mentioned. If you find elvis a better choice, stick with it. I believe it's a fine alternative (though I've used it only a few times).