If you used or know WordStar, you should check to see if "joe" is on your machine... if not, install it. It uses most of the old WordStar ctrl-x commands, you can turn on (and off) the onscreen help, and it is pretty simple. Even if you aren't familiar with WordStar.
Most *nix servers should have pico/nano on them. They are pretty much the same program- a basic line editor. I use them for most all simple shell and text file editing. I know they are both available for download... at least nano is, cuz when I couldn't find pico on a new RH9 install, I dl'd nano and installed it (and renamed it to pico).
I wouldn't piss on vi if it was fully engulfed in flames. And every time I accidentally enter it, I wish it *was*. Haven't had the patience to even look at/learn emacs. I just use pico/nano for most everything on the server from the remote command line, and joe if I need something more sophisticated. If I'm on my own Linux systems (console)- not remotely- and I had to do some document production or editing, I'd use OpenOffice. But usually in KDE, I use Kwrite.
Just my $0.02
The next time you accidentally get into vi, just remember:
"[Esc]:q!"
Let me know if you find something like "picosudo" instead of "visudo."
*snicker*