---
title: "Scared of VIM in Ubuntu?"
date: "2009-01-15"
path: "/21-scared-of-vim-in-ubuntu.html"
section: "/ramblings"
aliases:
  - "/21"
  - "/21-scared-of-vim-in-ubuntu"
  - "/21.html"
  - "/ramblings/21-scared-of-vim-in-ubuntu.html"
---

All you need to do is select another editor (and install nano or similar if you need something easy):

```
apt-get install nano
update-alternatives --config editor

There are 2 alternatives which provide `editor'.

  Selection    Alternative
-----------------------------------------------
      1        /usr/bin/vim
*+    2        /bin/nano

Press enter to keep the default[*], or type selection number: 2
Using `/bin/nano' to provide `editor'.
```

This then allows you to edit system files using the new editor (like when editing cron: crontab -e).