Disclaimer: anti-monkeypatch content, reader discretion advised :D
The following standard-conformist mindset originated from my accumulated frustrations from prolonged usage of semi-standard technologies.
Such as:
- vim instead of vscode
- linux instead of Windows 11
- i3m, a bespoke / weird desktop manager, instead of ubuntu
While I enjoyed the liberty, it came with a cost.
Is there a cost to opensource?
Opensource is good. As a movement to empowering developers, enabling innovations, and receiving critique to gradually agree on an industry standard - there is simply no alternative of opensource. Our world runs on opensource!
However, the aspect of opensource regarding its very nature, that, most opensource projects do not receive appropriate funding and lack leadership to govern the project - this renders individualistic efforts for opensource tools weak and/or short-term.
Opensource software projects witnessed tremendous success in the early ages of commercial computer software - this is beyond doubts. However, in our era, in which the complexity, diversity, and expectations of software is vital - a distinction is to be made between BigTech-backed opensource initiatives and other individual/communitarian ones.
My tipping point
This was a regular day in the life of mine as a Software Engineer - however, yet again, I caught myself scavenging for decentralized extensions individually developed on an average of 9 years ago for Vim/Neovim.
I thought vscode isn't any better.
They have old, impoverished extensions and developers too.
Then, I found a survey of 86,544 responses.
| Code editor | % Users |
|---|---|
| Visual Studio Code | 73.71% |
| Visual Studio | 28.43% |
| IntelliJ IDEA | 26.82% |
| Vim | 22.29% |
| Neovim | 11.86% |
The data never lies.
Given the disproportionate user base upperhand in vscode, it couldn't be more likely that, vscode extensions will be better 🙃.
Plus, vscode has ways to publish "verified" extensions. Something vim/neovim might never have.
All people agree
In reddit, a question was asked.
Probing if reasons exist to not use vim.
One replied:
"Every once in a while you'll go through the rabbit hole of addng something cool, configuring another plugin, or changing colorscheme/syntax - that you forget doing actual productive work."
92 upvotes, as of writing, to the above reply.
People agree.
Vim does bring harm.
I couldn't agree more with the reply too. I have my own fair share of wasted hours in tweaking config files.
To the extent that I grew weary of it and now writing an article warning others about it.
What to make of all these?
I may just use Visual Studio Code, instead of Vim. Maybe Windows 11, instead of a weird Linux distribution.
Maybe Microsoft 365 w/ Copilot, instead of LibreOffice.
These are products well-built and polished and proven through rigorous testing and extensive real-world usage.
Maybe, just maybe, I need to learn to appreciate professionals investing their time, life, and money to build these incredible, impossible products.
Hi, Muhammad here. It's 26 Aug 2026 today. Made little edits to this piece.
It's been over 3 years since I published the first version. Just wanted to let y'all know, I haven't changed my mind.
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