From http://slackware.mirrors.tds.net/slackware/slackware-current/ChangeLog.txt :
Mon Jan 13 00:11:55 UTC 2020
a/elvis-2.2_0-i586-5.txz: Rebuilt.
Don't make /usr/bin/{ex,vi} symlinks.
a/nvi-1.81.6-i586-1.txz: Added.
This is an implementation of the classic ex/vi text editor written by Keith
Bostic. Due to this having UTF8 support which elvis lacks, we'll have it
take over the ex/vi symlinks if they aren't already pointing to a different
choice. Note that the removal of vi/ex symlinks from the elvis and vim
packages might cause your ex/vi symlinks to point to this after all the ex/vi
packages have been upgraded. You can set them to your preferences using
pkgtool -> Setup -> vi-ex.
As you can see, Elvis is being substituted by nvi.
I've done some editing with nvi to see how it goes, and from the little usage I've gotten from it, it's acceptable for simple day to day editing.
Now, if you're writing source code, beware that nvi doesn't have syntax highlighting. All you get are the colours of your terminal/console.
Since I'm learning the basics of Python programming and I make a lot of mistakes, syntax highlighting is very helpful.
Hence enter Vim. It comes standard with a Slackware 14.2 installation, and is the closest you can get to ex/vi along Elvis. Vim has syntax highlighting and is very configurable. Since Elvis seems to be walking out the door, I thought I might as well switch to Vim for coding, and perhaps use nvi for other stuff.
Below is my current $HOME/.vimrc file.
Source: https://gist.githubusercontent.com/mayela/eeca45cb841ada6019936923ce47a53d/raw/82aa079fa6d4516266e4d4ebd9034434342362c8/Python%2520highlighting%2520syntax%2520on%2520Vim
$ cat ~/.vimrc
" enable syntax highlighting
syntax on
" show line numbers
set number
" set tabs to have 4 spaces
set tabstop=4
" indent when moving to the next line while writing code
set autoindent
" expand tabs into spaces
set expandtab
" when using the >> or << commands, shift lines by 4 spaces
set shiftwidth=4
" show a visual line under the cursor's current line
set cursorline
" show the matching part of the pair for [] {} and ()
set showmatch
" enable all Python syntax highlighting features
let python_highlight_all = 1
" use a dark background
set background=dark
" don't highlight searches
set nohlsearch
set wildmenu
set showcmd
set softtabstop=4
filetype indent on
let g:ycm_python_binary_path = 'python'
let g:indent_guides_start_level = 2
let g:indent_guides_auto_colors = 1
let g:indentLine_leadingSpaceChar = '·'
let g:indentLine_leadingSpaceEnabled = 1
" Keywords {{{
"====
syn keyword pythonStatement break continue del
syn keyword pythonStatement exec return
syn keyword pythonStatement pass raise
syn keyword pythonStatement global nonlocal assert
syn keyword pythonStatement yield
syn keyword pythonLambdaExpr lambda
syn keyword pythonStatement with as
syn keyword pythonStatement def nextgroup=pythonFunction skipwhite
syn match pythonFunction "\%(\%(def\s\|@\)\s*\)\@<=\h\%(\w\|\.\)*" contained nextgroup=pythonVars
syn region pythonVars start="(" skip=+\(".*"\|'.*'\)+ end=")" contained contains=pythonParameters transparent keepend
syn match pythonParameters "[^,]*" contained contains=pythonParam skipwhite
syn match pythonParam "[^,]*" contained contains=pythonExtraOperator,pythonLambdaExpr,pythonBuiltinObj,pythonBuiltinType,pythonConstant,pythonString,pythonNumber,pythonBrackets,pythonSelf,pythonComment skipwhite
syn match pythonBrackets "{[(|)]}" contained skipwhite
syn keyword pythonStatement class nextgroup=pythonClass skipwhite
syn match pythonClass "\%(\%(class\s\)\s*\)\@<=\h\%(\w\|\.\)*" contained nextgroup=pythonClassVars
syn region pythonClassVars start="(" end=")" contained contains=pythonClassParameters transparent keepend
syn match pythonClassParameters "[^,\*]*" contained contains=pythonBuiltin,pythonBuiltinObj,pythonBuiltinType,pythonExtraOperatorpythonStatement,pythonBrackets,pythonString,pythonComment skipwhite
syn keyword pythonRepeat for while
syn keyword pythonConditional if elif else
syn keyword pythonInclude import from
syn keyword pythonException try except finally
syn keyword pythonOperator and in is not or
syn match pythonExtraOperator "\%([~!^&|/%+-]\|\%(class\s*\)\@<!<<\|<=>\|<=\|\%(<\|\<class\s\+\u\w*\s*\)\@<!<[^<]\@=\=\|\|=\~\|>>\|>=\|=\@<!>\|\.\.\.\|\.\.\|::\)"
syn match pythonExtraPseudoOperator "\%(-=\|/=\|\*\*=\|\*=\|&&=\|&=\|&&\|||=\||=\|||\|%=\|+=\|!\~\|!=\)"
syn keyword pythonStatement print
syn keyword pythonStatement async await
syn match pythonStatement "\<async\s\+def\>" nextgroup=pythonFunction skipwhite
syn match pythonStatement "\<async\s\+with\>" display
syn match pythonStatement "\<async\s\+for\>" nextgroup=pythonRepeat skipwhite
syn match pythonExtraOperator "\%(=\)"
syn match pythonExtraOperator "\%(\*\|\*\*\)"
syn keyword pythonSelf self cls
" }}}
" Decorators {{{
"======
syn match pythonDecorator "@" display nextgroup=pythonDottedName skipwhite
syn match pythonDottedName "[a-zA-Z_][a-zA-Z0-9_]*\(\.[a-zA-Z_][a-zA-Z0-9_]*\)*" display contained
syn match pythonDot "\." display containedin=pythonDottedName
" }}}
" Comments {{{
"====
syn match pythonComment "#.*$" display contains=pythonTodo,@Spell
syn match pythonRun "\%^#!.*$"
syn match pythonCoding "\%^.*\(\n.*\)\?#.*coding[:=]\s*[0-9A-Za-z-_.]\+.*$"
syn keyword pythonTodo TODO FIXME XXX contained
" }}}
" Errors {{{
"==
syn match pythonError "\<\d\+\D\+\>" display
syn match pythonError "[$?]" display
syn match pythonError "[&|]\{2,}" display
syn match pythonError "[=]\{3,}" display
syn match pythonIndentError "^\s*\( \t\|\t \)\s*\S"me=e-1 display
syn match pythonSpaceError "\s\+$" display
" Strings {{{
"===
syn region pythonString start=+[bB]\='+ skip=+\\\\\|\\'\|\\$+ excludenl end=+'+ end=+$+ keepend contains=pythonEscape,pythonEscapeError,@Spell
syn region pythonString start=+[bB]\="+ skip=+\\\\\|\\"\|\\$+ excludenl end=+"+ end=+$+ keepend contains=pythonEscape,pythonEscapeError,@Spell
syn region pythonString start=+[bB]\="""+ end=+"""+ keepend contains=pythonEscape,pythonEscapeError,pythonDocTest2,pythonSpaceError,@Spell
syn region pythonString start=+[bB]\=+ end=++ keepend contains=pythonEscape,pythonEscapeError,pythonDocTest,pythonSpaceError,@Spell
syn match pythonEscape +\\[abfnrtv'"\\]+ display contained
syn match pythonEscape "\\\o\o\=\o\=" display contained
syn match pythonEscapeError "\\\o\{,2}[89]" display contained
syn match pythonEscape "\\x\x\{2}" display contained
syn match pythonEscapeError "\\x\x\=\X" display contained
syn match pythonEscape "\\$"
" Unicode
syn region pythonUniString start=+[uU]'+ skip=+\\\\\|\\'\|\\$+ excludenl end=+'+ end=+$+ keepend contains=pythonEscape,pythonUniEscape,pythonEscapeError,pythonUniEscapeError,@Spell
syn region pythonUniString start=+[uU]"+ skip=+\\\\\|\\"\|\\$+ excludenl end=+"+ end=+$+ keepend contains=pythonEscape,pythonUniEscape,pythonEscapeError,pythonUniEscapeError,@Spell
syn region pythonUniString start=+[uU]"""+ end=+"""+ keepend contains=pythonEscape,pythonUniEscape,pythonEscapeError,pythonUniEscapeError,pythonDocTest2,pythonSpaceError,@Spell
syn region pythonUniString start=+[uU]+ end=++ keepend contains=pythonEscape,pythonUniEscape,pythonEscapeError,pythonUniEscapeError,pythonDocTest,pythonSpaceError,@Spell
syn match pythonUniEscape "\\u\x\{4}" display contained
syn match pythonUniEscapeError "\\u\x\{,3}\X" display contained
syn match pythonUniEscape "\\U\x\{8}" display contained
syn match pythonUniEscapeError "\\U\x\{,7}\X" display contained
syn match pythonUniEscape "\\N{[A-Z ]\+}" display contained
syn match pythonUniEscapeError "\\N{[^A-Z ]\+}" display contained
" Raw strings
syn region pythonRawString start=+[rR]'+ skip=+\\\\\|\\'\|\\$+ excludenl end=+'+ end=+$+ keepend contains=pythonRawEscape,@Spell
syn region pythonRawString start=+[rR]"+ skip=+\\\\\|\\"\|\\$+ excludenl end=+"+ end=+$+ keepend contains=pythonRawEscape,@Spell
syn region pythonRawString start=+[rR]"""+ end=+"""+ keepend contains=pythonDocTest2,pythonSpaceError,@Spell
syn region pythonRawString start=+[rR]+ end=++ keepend contains=pythonDocTest,pythonSpaceError,@Spell
syn match pythonRawEscape +\\['"]+ display transparent contained
" Unicode raw strings
syn region pythonUniRawString start=+[uU][rR]'+ skip=+\\\\\|\\'\|\\$+ excludenl end=+'+ end=+$+ keepend contains=pythonRawEscape,pythonUniRawEscape,pythonUniRawEscapeError,@Spell
syn region pythonUniRawString start=+[uU][rR]"+ skip=+\\\\\|\\"\|\\$+ excludenl end=+"+ end=+$+ keepend contains=pythonRawEscape,pythonUniRawEscape,pythonUniRawEscapeError,@Spell
syn region pythonUniRawString start=+[uU][rR]"""+ end=+"""+ keepend contains=pythonUniRawEscape,pythonUniRawEscapeError,pythonDocTest2,pythonSpaceError,@Spell
syn region pythonUniRawString start=+[uU][rR]+ end=++ keepend contains=pythonUniRawEscape,pythonUniRawEscapeError,pythonDocTest,pythonSpaceError,@Spell
syn match pythonUniRawEscape "\([^\\]\(\\\\\)*\)\@<=\\u\x\{4}" display contained
syn match pythonUniRawEscapeError "\([^\\]\(\\\\\)*\)\@<=\\u\x\{,3}\X" display contained
" String formatting
syn match pythonStrFormatting "%\(([^)]\+)\)\=[-#0 +]*\d*\(\.\d\+\)\=[hlL]\=[diouxXeEfFgGcrs%]" contained containedin=pythonString,pythonUniString,pythonRawString,pythonUniRawString
syn match pythonStrFormatting "%[-#0 +]*\(\*\|\d\+\)\=\(\.\(\*\|\d\+\)\)\=[hlL]\=[diouxXeEfFgGcrs%]" contained containedin=pythonString,pythonUniString,pythonRawString,pythonUniRawString
" Str.format syntax
syn match pythonStrFormat "{{\|}}" contained containedin=pythonString,pythonUniString,pythonRawString,pythonUniRawString
syn match pythonStrFormat "{\([a-zA-Z0-9_]*\|\d\+\)\(\.[a-zA-Z_][a-zA-Z0-9_]*\|\[\(\d\+\|[^!:\}]\+\)\]\)*\(![rs]\)\=\(:\({\([a-zA-Z_][a-zA-Z0-9_]*\|\d\+\)}\|\([^}]\=[<>=^]\)\=[ +-]\=#\=0\=\d*\(\.\d\+\)\=[bcdeEfFgGnoxX%]\=\)\=\)\=}" contained containedin=pythonString,pythonUniString,pythonRawString,pythonUniRawString
" String templates
syn match pythonStrTemplate "\$\$" contained containedin=pythonString,pythonUniString,pythonRawString,pythonUniRawString
syn match pythonStrTemplate "\${[a-zA-Z_][a-zA-Z0-9_]*}" contained containedin=pythonString,pythonUniString,pythonRawString,pythonUniRawString
syn match pythonStrTemplate "\$[a-zA-Z_][a-zA-Z0-9_]*" contained containedin=pythonString,pythonUniString,pythonRawString,pythonUniRawString
" DocTests
syn region pythonDocTest start="^\s*>>>" end=+'''+he=s-1 end="^\s*$" contained
syn region pythonDocTest2 start="^\s*>>>" end=+"""+he=s-1 end="^\s*$" contained
" DocStrings
syn region pythonDocstring start=+^\s*[uU]\?[rR]\?"""+ end=+"""+ keepend excludenl contains=pythonEscape,@Spell,pythonDoctest,pythonDocTest2,pythonSpaceError
syn region pythonDocstring start=+^\s*[uU]\?[rR]\?+ end=++ keepend excludenl contains=pythonEscape,@Spell,pythonDoctest,pythonDocTest2,pythonSpaceError
" }}}
" Numbers {{{
"===
syn match pythonHexError "\<0[xX]\x*[g-zG-Z]\x*[lL]\=\>" display
syn match pythonHexNumber "\<0[xX]\x\+[lL]\=\>" display
syn match pythonOctNumber "\<0[oO]\o\+[lL]\=\>" display
syn match pythonBinNumber "\<0[bB][01]\+[lL]\=\>" display
syn match pythonNumber "\<\d\+[lLjJ]\=\>" display
syn match pythonFloat "\.\d\+\([eE][+-]\=\d\+\)\=[jJ]\=\>" display
syn match pythonFloat "\<\d\+[eE][+-]\=\d\+[jJ]\=\>" display
syn match pythonFloat "\<\d\+\.\d*\([eE][+-]\=\d\+\)\=[jJ]\=" display
syn match pythonOctError "\<0[oO]\=\o*[8-9]\d*[lL]\=\>" display
syn match pythonBinError "\<0[bB][01]*[2-9]\d*[lL]\=\>" display
" }}}
" Builtins {{{
"====
" Builtin objects and types
syn keyword pythonBuiltinObj True False Ellipsis None NotImplemented
syn keyword pythonBuiltinObj debug doc file name package
syn keyword pythonBuiltinType type object
syn keyword pythonBuiltinType str basestring unicode buffer bytearray bytes chr unichr
syn keyword pythonBuiltinType dict int long bool float complex set frozenset list tuple
syn keyword pythonBuiltinType file super
" Builtin functions
syn keyword pythonBuiltinFunc import abs all any apply
syn keyword pythonBuiltinFunc bin callable classmethod cmp coerce compile
syn keyword pythonBuiltinFunc delattr dir divmod enumerate eval execfile filter
syn keyword pythonBuiltinFunc format getattr globals locals hasattr hash help hex id
syn keyword pythonBuiltinFunc input intern isinstance issubclass iter len map max min
syn keyword pythonBuiltinFunc next oct open ord pow property range xrange
syn keyword pythonBuiltinFunc raw_input reduce reload repr reversed round setattr
syn keyword pythonBuiltinFunc slice sorted staticmethod sum vars zip
syn keyword pythonBuiltinFunc print
" Builtin exceptions and warnings
syn keyword pythonExClass BaseException
syn keyword pythonExClass Exception StandardError ArithmeticError
syn keyword pythonExClass LookupError EnvironmentError
syn keyword pythonExClass AssertionError AttributeError BufferError EOFError
syn keyword pythonExClass FloatingPointError GeneratorExit IOError
syn keyword pythonExClass ImportError IndexError KeyError
syn keyword pythonExClass KeyboardInterrupt MemoryError NameError
syn keyword pythonExClass NotImplementedError OSError OverflowError
syn keyword pythonExClass ReferenceError RuntimeError StopIteration
syn keyword pythonExClass SyntaxError IndentationError TabError
syn keyword pythonExClass SystemError SystemExit TypeError
syn keyword pythonExClass UnboundLocalError UnicodeError
syn keyword pythonExClass UnicodeEncodeError UnicodeDecodeError
syn keyword pythonExClass UnicodeTranslateError ValueError VMSError
syn keyword pythonExClass WindowsError ZeroDivisionError
syn keyword pythonExClass Warning UserWarning BytesWarning DeprecationWarning
syn keyword pythonExClass PendingDepricationWarning SyntaxWarning
syn keyword pythonExClass RuntimeWarning FutureWarning
syn keyword pythonExClass ImportWarning UnicodeWarning
" }}}
" Enhanced python highlighting
highlight pythonLambdaExpr ctermfg=105 guifg=#8787ff
highlight pythonInclude ctermfg=68 guifg=#5f87d7 cterm=bold gui=bold
highlight pythonClass ctermfg=167 guifg=#FF62B0 cterm=bold gui=bold
highlight pythonParameters ctermfg=147 guifg=#AAAAFF
highlight pythonParam ctermfg=175 guifg=#E37795
highlight pythonBrackets ctermfg=183 guifg=#d7afff
highlight pythonClassParameters ctermfg=111 guifg=#FF5353
highlight pythonSelf ctermfg=68 guifg=#5f87d7 cterm=bold gui=bold
highlight pythonDottedName ctermfg=74 guifg=#5fafd7
highlight pythonError ctermfg=196 guifg=#ff0000
highlight pythonIndentError ctermfg=197 guifg=#ff005f
highlight pythonSpaceError ctermfg=198 guifg=#ff0087
highlight pythonBuiltinType ctermfg=74 guifg=#9191FF
highlight pythonBuiltinObj ctermfg=71 guifg=#5faf5f
highlight pythonBuiltinFunc ctermfg=169 guifg=#d75faf cterm=bold gui=bold
highlight pythonException ctermfg=207 guifg=#CC3366 cterm=bold gui=bold