Installing NeoVim caused original Vim undo files to be deleted
5 hours ago
- Vim's persistent undo feature has preserved undo history across major version upgrades and crashes for over 20 years, providing invaluable data recovery.
- NeoVim broke persistent undo by changing the file format, silently deleting old undo files, and replacing them with incompatible ones, causing data loss.
- NeoVim developers dismissed the issue, stating the format was unstable and users should not rely on data preservation, showing a lack of duty of care.
- The incident exemplifies Raskin's First Law: a program shall not harm user's data or allow it to come to harm.
- Jef Raskin's three laws of humane interface design emphasize not harming work, not wasting time, and being responsive to human needs.