FreeBSD 5.1: VI munges config files?

From: xippy dapinhead (vze7ekc6_at_verizon.net)
Date: 02/17/04 

Date: Tue, 17 Feb 2004 13:48:42 GMT

Hi All: I'm very new to FreeBSD and only have experience with Linux
7,8,9.

I've been trying to admin a 5.1 installation using SSH and vi to edit
config files. When I log in as root and start to edit in vi, strange
things happen in the terminal window, like the cursor jumping to the
far right and not inserting text properly.

I usually panic at that point <g> and try to exit without saving
changes, but when I've opened the same file in gedit, it will have
become corrupted...I'm hoping that it's because I inadvertently saved
the file while vi was wigging out, and not some larger file corruption
issue.

Is this a known issue or, if not, what can I do to debug the problem?
I will eventually want to remotely access the server with SSH and edit
files with vi reliably.

TIA, Andrew

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