From what I know about Vim this isn't unusual. There is a division between those who treat Vim as a constant tool that should be kept as close to the defaults as possible, so that you can work anywhere it is installed (I'd consider this the classical approach inspired by vi), others who value extending and modifying it to match their needs and preferences (this seems to me to lean towards Emacs' spirit). As Vim is both a vi-clone but also has the abilities to be extended, I don't think either is more wrong than the other. My sympathies go towards the former, because Emacs is my Emacs.