diff --git a/build/jam/HaikuImage b/build/jam/HaikuImage
index 1be8d7e8ee..a315ec6b69 100644
--- a/build/jam/HaikuImage
+++ b/build/jam/HaikuImage
@@ -288,9 +288,12 @@ AddFilesToHaikuImage beos etc artwork : $(svgFiles) ;
 local etcFiles = inputrc profile teapot.data ;
 etcFiles = $(etcFiles:G=etc) ;
 SEARCH on $(etcFiles) = [ FDirName $(HAIKU_TOP) data etc ] ;
-etcFiles += <etc>termcap ;
+etcFiles += <etc>termcap <etc>sysless <etc>sysless.in ;
 AddFilesToHaikuImage beos etc : $(etcFiles) ;
 
+SEARCH on <etc>vimrc = [ FDirName $(HAIKU_TOP) data etc vim ] ;
+AddFilesToHaikuImage beos etc vim : <etc>vimrc ;
+
 local fortuneFiles =  Art Computers Education Food Fortunes Goedel Haiku
 	Humorists Kids Law "Linux cookies" Love Magic Medicine Miscellaneous
 	News "One Liners" "OS Fortunes" Pets Platitudes Riddles "Songs & Poems"
diff --git a/data/etc/vim/vimrc b/data/etc/vim/vimrc
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..f3aba02bfa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/data/etc/vim/vimrc
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+" highlight matching brackets
+set showmatch
+
+" status line: show line/column and current mode
+set ruler
+set showmode
+
+" required to be able to use keypad keys and map missed escape sequences
+set esckeys
+
+" be user-friendly instead of compatible
+set nocompatible
+
+" backspace shall remove anything in insert mode
+set backspace=indent,eol,start
+
+" keys in insert mode
+map! <Esc>OA <Up>
+map! <Esc>OB <Down>
+map! <Esc>OC <Right>
+map! <Esc>OD <Left>
+map! <Esc>OH <Home>
+map! <Esc>OF <End>
+map! <Esc>[5~ <PageUp>
+map! <Esc>[6~ <PageDown>
+map!  <BS>
+
+" keys in command mode
+map  X
diff --git a/src/data/etc/Jamfile b/src/data/etc/Jamfile
index 057032897c..3da379687f 100644
--- a/src/data/etc/Jamfile
+++ b/src/data/etc/Jamfile
@@ -1,4 +1,18 @@
 SubDir HAIKU_TOP src data etc ;
 
+# generate /etc/sysless
+actions LessKey
+{
+	lesskey -o $(1) $(2)
+}
+
+local syslessIn = <etc>sysless.in ;
+SEARCH on $(syslessIn) = $(SUBDIR) ;
+local sysless = <etc>sysless ;
+MakeLocateArch $(sysless) ;
+Depends $(sysless) : $(syslessIn) ;
+LessKey $(sysless) : $(syslessIn) ;
+
+
 SubInclude HAIKU_TOP src data etc keymaps ;
 SubInclude HAIKU_TOP src data etc timezones ;
diff --git a/src/data/etc/sysless.in b/src/data/etc/sysless.in
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..9727ebd42e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/data/etc/sysless.in
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+#command
+\177	back-screen
+^H		back-screen
+#line-edit
+\177	backspace
+^H		backspace