I just want you to know that through rabbit holing 'traditional ex/vi source', the following happened...

1) Read a Wikipedia page for vi.

2) Noticed that Bill Joy used a Lear Siegler ADM-3A terminal.

3) Discovered that Lear Siegler was the result of a merger between Siegler Corporation and Lear, Inc.

4) I know that Lear, Inc. was founded by William 'Bill' Lear.

So, not only do we have Bill Lear to thank in a way for vi, but your username is oddly familiar...