Pick up a few more tweaks, comment more exhaustively.

vimrc

@@ -9,28 +9,54 @@ source java.vim
 source javascript.vim
 exec "cd " . oldwd
 
+" turn on file type plugins
 filetype plugin indent on
+" turn off compatibility mode
+set nocompatible
+" turn on syntax support
 syntax on
 
+" change buffer behaviors to no longer require changes when hiding a buffer
+set hidden
+
+" look for vimrc in the current director as well as $MYVIMRC
 set exrc
+" make looking for local changes secure
 set secure
+" make search work a bit more like tab completion in bash
 set incsearch
 set wildmode=longest:full
 set wildmenu
-set nocp
+" line break handling
 set lbr
 set sbr=+
+" always on status line
 set laststatus=2
-"set stl=%-0.100f\ %r\ %m%=line\ %l\ of\ %L\ --%p%%--\
+" configure airline, advanced status line plugin
+let g:airline#extensions#tagbar#enabled = 1
+" set up folding preferences
 set fde=1
 set fdm=syntax
+" let backspace work more naturally
 set backspace=start,indent,eol
+" set a readable width
 set textwidth=80
-set anti enc=utf-8
+" favor modern encoding
-set listchars+=nbsp:¬
+set enc=utf-8
-set listchars+=tab:»·,trail:·
+" more readable config for list mode
+set listchars+=nbsp:¬,tab:»·,trail:·
+set listchars-=eol:$
+" smarter handling of case during search
+set ignorecase
+set smartcase
+" disable outdated data loss protections
+set nobackup
+set noswapfile
 
+" quickly toggle a right, vsplit for viewing, navigating whatever structure easy
+" tags/tagbar can figure out for the current buffer
 nmap <F8> :TagbarToggle<CR>
+" quickly toggle a left, vsplit for an insanely powerful file explorer
 nmap <F9> :NERDTreeToggle<CR>
 
 color desert