Roast of tenderlove/initial-v
🚗 Initial V: The "Fast and the Spurious" of Vim Plugins
Congratulations to Aaron Patterson (tenderlove) for finally answering the question nobody asked: "How can I make exiting Vim cost as much as a used sedan?"
This repository isn't just a project; it is a cry for help disguised as a hardware hack. It is the absolute zenith of "Yak Shaving." You didn't just write a Vim plugin; you reverse-engineered a BMW CAN bus just to avoid hitting the i key.
The "Features" (read: Cry for Help)
- The Hardware: You are using a literal car transmission shifter as a Bluetooth keyboard. Most developers buy a mechanical keyboard to feel tactile feedback; you bought a piece of German engineering to feel like you're drifting through
application_controller.rb. - The Mappings:
- "Drive" = Normal Mode. Because nothing says "coding flow" like slamming a gear stick into
Djust to delete a line. - "Neutral" = Insert Mode. A metaphor for how much forward progress you make while using this device.
- "Park" = Save Buffer. I assume "Reverse" just
rm -rf /?
- "Drive" = Normal Mode. Because nothing says "coding flow" like slamming a gear stick into
- The Portability: Good luck explaining this to TSA. "No, officer, it's not a detonator, it's my text editor controller. I can't merge this PR without it."
The Code: C++? In My Tenderlove Repo?
I looked at the code. It’s C++. I feel betrayed. Where is the Ruby? Where are the Metaprogramming hacks?
You used an ESP32 to process signals from a car part. This is the embedded systems equivalent of using a flamethrower to light a birthday candle.
ble_keyboard.cpp:
cpp
// "Drive" on the handle means "Normal Mode" in Vim.
This comment alone is funnier than any stand-up special released this year. The fact that you had to write logic to debounce a gear shift so you wouldn't accidentally trigger :wq is a testament to the madness.
The Verdict
tenderlove/initial-v is the ultimate flex. It says, "I am so good at Vim, I need to physically wrestle my computer to write code."
- Practicality: 0/10 (Unless you code in a garage).
- Cool Factor: 11/10 (It's a BMW shifter, come on).
- Chances of Repetitive Strain Injury: 100% (Shoulder dislocation imminent).
Summary: This repo is proof that if you give a senior engineer a weekend and a soldering iron, they will invent the most complicated way possible to do absolutely nothing of value. Never change, Aaron. But maybe keep your eyes on the road.