a good programming text editor (not IDE)

[RunLevelZero]

Your SciTE problem is easily fixable by choosing " options / Open
Global Options File " and then there are plenty of settings.  Use the
SciTE.html file and it will explain them all and there are many but the
defaults usually work well to start out. I have had no issues with
Linux.  I use Debian.  Here is a snippet of the first few lines of the
global options file.

"# Globals

command.name.2.*.py=PyChecker
command.2.*.py=C:\Python23\Scripts\pychecker.bat --stdlib --blacklist
--varlist "$(FilePath)"
 tab.timmy.whinge.level=1
# Window sizes and visibility
if PLAT_WIN
	position.left=30
	position.top=25
if PLAT_GTK
	position.left=15
	position.top=30
position.width=1200
position.height=950"

As you can see if you are running windows "if PLAT_WIN" those are the
settings for your window etc...

Also grab this file.
http://scintilla.sourceforge.net/gen_python_api.zip

You can run it and it will build an API that you put in the root of
SciTE and it will auto complete and it will give you help tips if you
want them.

I can't say that this is better than VIM but SciTE works great if you
are mostly a python programmer.