diff --git a/shrc.zsh b/shrc.zsh
index 320026d..cd1f01e 100644
--- a/shrc.zsh
+++ b/shrc.zsh
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ alias logsf="logs -f"
 alias diff="git --no-pager diff --color=auto --no-ext-diff --no-index"
 
 # being specific
-alias erc="e ~/.zshrc ~/shrc.zsh ~/.bashrc"
+alias erc="e ~/.zshrc ~/shrc.zsh ~/.bashrc ~/.vimrc"
 alias irc="screen -dR irc irssi"
 alias crawl='screen -dR crawl ssh crawl@crawl.develz.org -i ~/.ssh/crawl'
 alias crawla='screen -dR crawl ssh crawl@crawl.akrasiac.org -l joshua -i ~/.ssh/crawl'
diff --git a/vimrc b/vimrc
index 6332f5f..bd54d7c 100644
--- a/vimrc
+++ b/vimrc
@@ -1,51 +1,153 @@
-set nocompatible " screw vi
+" vim:cc=79,39
+set nocompatible                      " screw vi
 
-if (&term =~ "^xterm") " enable colors on any xterm
-	let &t_Co=256
-	let &t_AF="\e[38;5;%dm"
-	let &t_AB="\e[48;5;%dm"
+if has('multi_byte')
+    scriptencoding utf-8              " allow it in this script
+    set termencoding=utf-8            " and this terminal supports it
+    set encoding=utf-8                " and the default file is in it
 endif
 
-syntax enable " required for folding as well
+if (&term =~ "^xterm")                " enable colors on any xterm
+    let &t_Co=256
+    let &t_AF="\e[38;5;%dm"
+    let &t_AB="\e[48;5;%dm"
+endif
+
+if has('syntax')
+    syntax enable                     " required for folding as well
+    set hlsearch                      " highlight search results
+endif
 
 if has('gui_running')
-	set guioptions-=m " hide menu
-	set guioptions-=T " hide toolbar"
-	set guifont=Consolas:h9
-	set columns=84
-	set lines=36
-	cd $HOME " might not be ideal...
+    set guioptions-=m                 " hide menu
+    set guioptions-=T                 " hide toolbar
+    set guifont=Consolas:h9
+    set columns=84
+    set lines=36
+    cd $HOME                          " might not be ideal...
 
-	colorscheme candycode
+    colorscheme candycode
 else
-	colorscheme Tomorrow-Night
+    colorscheme Tomorrow-Night
 
-	set colorcolumn=79
+    set colorcolumn=79
 endif
 
-set nomodeline " ignore vim settings in files
-set backupdir=~/.vim/backup " put tilde files elsewhere
+set history=512                       " command lines to remember
 
-set number " lines
-set hlsearch " highlight
-let c_syntax_for_h=1 " use C highlighting for .h files
+set ruler                             " write out the cursor position
+set lazyredraw                        " when executing macros, untyped things
+
+if has('title')|set title|endif       " terminal title
+
+" be less verbose with some terms and tell vim to shut up
+set shortmess=atI
+
+" lower the priority of tab-completing files with these extensions
+set suffixes=.bak,~,.swp,.o,.log,.out
+
+set noerrorbells visualbell t_vb=     " disable bells
+
+" TODO: check if dir exists
+set backupdir=~/.vim/backup           " put tilde files elsewhere
+
+set scrolloff=3                       " row context during scrolling
+set sidescrolloff=2                   " col context during scrolling
+
+set number                            " lines
+let c_syntax_for_h=1                  " use C highlighting for .h files
+
+set incsearch                         " show first search result as we type
+set ignorecase                        " insensitive searching
+set smartcase                         " except when uppercase is used
+
+set infercase                         " use existing case when ins-completing
 
 set foldmethod=syntax
-set foldlevelstart=99
-"set smartindent " automatic indentation
-set nosmartindent
+set foldlevelstart=99                 " start with everything unfolded
 
-set backspace=eol,start,indent " make backspace useful
+if 0
+    set autoindent                    " when creating newline, use same indent
+    if has('smartindent')
+        set smartindent               " automatic indents with a lot of stuff
+    endif
+endif " it's really just annoying though
+
+set diffopt+=iwhite                   " ignore whitespace in diff command
 
 " word wrapping
 set nowrap
 set nolinebreak
 
-" 8 space tabs
-set tabstop=8
-set shiftwidth=8
-set smarttab
+set tabstop=8 shiftwidth=8 smarttab   " 8 space tabs
 
-" 4 spaces as tabs for various languages
-au FileType bash,sh,zsh,awk,python,lua setlocal tabstop=8 expandtab shiftwidth=4 softtabstop=4
-au BufRead,BufNewFile *.json setlocal tabstop=8 expandtab shiftwidth=4 softtabstop=4
+function! TabFour()
+    setlocal tabstop=8 expandtab shiftwidth=4 softtabstop=4
+endfunction
+
+if has('autocmd')
+    augroup tabs                      " 4 spaces as tabs for various languages
+        au!
+        au FileType bash,sh,zsh,awk,python,lua,vim call TabFour()
+        au BufRead,BufNewFile *.json call TabFour()
+    augroup END
+
+    " attempt to preserve cursor position
+    " FIXME: waits for input after running
+    autocmd BufReadPost *
+    \   if line("'\"") > 1 && line("'\"") <= line("$") |
+    \     exe "normal! g`\"" |
+    \   endif
+endif
+
+set backspace=eol,start,indent        " make backspace useful
+
+" easy indent/unindent
+nn <tab> >>
+nn <s-tab> <<
+" indentation without ending selection
+vn <silent> <tab> >gv
+vn <silent> <s-tab> <gv
+
+" might make return useful
+"nn <s-cr> J
+"nn <c-cr> dd
+" oh wait, terminals don't do that...
+
+nn <F5>    :w<cr>
+nn <F8>    :e<cr>
+nn <F10>   :q<cr>
+nn <c-F5>  :w!<cr>
+nn <c-F8>  :e!<cr>
+nn <c-F10> :q!<cr>
+nn <s-F5>  :wall<cr>
+"nn <s-F8>  :eall<cr>
+nn <s-F10> :qall<cr>
+
+" bad habits
+no <up> <nop>
+no <down> <nop>
+no <left> <nop>
+no <right> <nop>
+ino <up> <nop>
+ino <down> <nop>
+ino <left> <nop>
+ino <right> <nop>
+nn <c-up> <c-y>
+nn <c-down> <c-e>
+nn <c-s-up> :m-2<cr>
+nn <c-s-down> :m+1<cr>
+
+" rebind annoying things
+nn Q gq
+nn K <nop>
+
+if v:version < 703                    " even debian stable has 7.3, so...
+    set nomodeline
+else
+    if &termencoding == "utf-8"
+        set list listchars=tab:»·,trail:·,extends:…,nbsp:‗
+    else
+        set list listchars=tab:>-,trail:.,extends:>,nbsp:_
+    endif
+endif