Fixing a system without enough RAM for a text editor

Someone on quora asked why people still use editors like emacs and vim when more modern alternatives exist. There were so many great answers that I didn't need to answer the original question. I couldn't possibly add more to the question of why emacs or vim. Instead, I was reminded of an experience where even emacs/vim weren't options. Sometime in the mid to late '90s, I visited my sister at…