Yep, this is where I jump right in and say that I was taught and believe that vi has 2 modes, command and insert. In command mode you have an ed sub mode (:). In command mode you can use the / or ? command to search. The only reason I would use /usr/bin/vi would be an emergency.

On the positive side I wish there had been a web tutorial like this when I was cursing and crying in front of the beeping flashing monster with the intimidating tilde teeth. (they really do look like teeth on a HP-Term in a panic trying to figure out how to use it to do homework.) That was when I learned about O'Reilly.