set nocompatible " Use Vim defaults instead of 100% vi compatibility
set autoindent "Once you have indented each next line keeps the same indent"
set backspace=indent,eol,start "more powerful backspacing"
set history=50 "keep a history of commands"
set ruler "information across the bottom"
set number "line numbering down the side"
set ts=4 "tab-stop is how many spaces a tab represents ( does not replace tabs with spaces)"
set sw=4 "shift-width"
syntax on "syntax coloring very necessary for code"