In nano, like in every text editor except vi, you don't need to 
change mode between navigation and typing. You navigate with arrows 
(maybe that's less intuitive for you than navigating with printable 
characters). You insert text by simply typing it, and you erase it with 
backspace.

     When you are in the fallback editor, you dont do complex regex 
replacement. I don't use nano, except when emacs is not installed yet 
and/or I forgot to define EDITOR.

     With nano, how to save and exit, etc is writen permanently on the 2 
bottom lines. If you were to explain how to navigate, insert or erase 
text, save and exit with vi, the screen wouldn't be large enough. 
Complex editors are not suitable as fallback; this is true also for emacs.

     Didier