Regarding vi's modal nature, some Emacs users joke that vi has two modes - "beep repeatedly" and "break everything", and of course vi users enjoy joking about the supposed carpal tunnel Emacs' key-sequences induce.
==Confusing the issue==
In ages past, lots of small emacsen, or at least small editors modelled after Emacs, flourished. This was due to the importance of conserving memory with the comparatively miniscule amount available in those days. These days, with a plentitude of memory, many vi-alikes, especially vim, are growing to previously unthinkable proportions.
The old lite Emacsen, as well as the elephantine vis of today, tend to have many of the perceived benefits and drawbacks of the opposing side.
