Drew DeVault launches Vim Classic fork

This reads less like a flashy launch than a preservation fork with a manifesto attached. Vim Classic is staking out the “keep classic Vim alive, but make it secure” lane while intentionally drawing a line at Vim9 and newer upstream complexity.

• –Starting from Vim 8.2.0148 keeps the diff small and makes backporting CVEs and build fixes tractable.
• –Excluding Vim9 Script preserves older plugin workflows, but it also caps how far the fork can evolve without recreating upstream work.
• –The real story appears to be ideological: DeVault is using the fork to opt out of AI-assisted development, which will resonate with some long-time Vimmers and put off others.
• –Long-term success will depend on boring maintenance like runtime scripts, syntax files, and edge-case plugin fixes, not just the initial fork.
• –For feature-chasers, Neovim still has the momentum; Vim Classic is staking out the compatibility-first, slow-maintenance lane.