title: Why do Vim experts prefer buffers over tabs?
body: <p>I don't <em>understand</em> buffers. When I open 3 files on the same tab and close my window, I'm generally annoyed to find out next time I open one of those files that there are strange swap files lingering and giving me pesky messages. But time and time again I read that these things are the productivity nirvana I'm missing out on and that tabs were made for the plebeians to use.</p>
  
  <p>So I ask you, the Vim expert: what are the advantages of using buffers over tabs? I don't see how the difference could be profoundly different, but I would consider myself only at the beginner-intermediate level at operating Vim. Is <code>:ls</code> <code>:b#</code> really that much faster than <code>gt</code>ing around? I feel it must go deeper than this.</p>