diff --git a/config/core/my_vim.vim b/config/core/my_vim.vim
index 513d5c8..5d6184f 100644
--- a/config/core/my_vim.vim
+++ b/config/core/my_vim.vim
@@ -1,75 +1,111 @@
-"
-" this only gets executed if not using the own vim installation
-"
+"########################################################################
+"# Maintainer:   Patrick Auernig <patrick DOT auernig AT gmail DOT com> #
+"# VIM Version:  7.4                                                    #
+"########################################################################
+
+if exists('g:my_vim')
+    finish
+endif
+
+let g:my_vim=1
+
+
+"###################################
+"# XDG config and data directories #
+"###################################
 
 function! CheckXDGVars()
-    if empty($XDG_CONFIG_HOME)
-        let $vim_config_home=expand("$HOME/.config/vim")
+    if exists( "$XDG_CONFIG_HOME" )
+        let g:vim_config_home = expand( "$XDG_CONFIG_HOME/vim" )
     else
-        let $vim_config_home=expand("$XDG_CONFIG_HOME/vim")
+        let g:vim_config_home = expand( "$HOME/.config/vim" )
     endif
 
-    if empty($XDG_CACHE_HOME)
-        let $vim_cache_home=expand("$HOME/.local/cache/vim")
+    if exists( "$XDG_CACHE_HOME" )
+        let g:vim_cache_home = expand( "$XDG_CACHE_HOME/vim" )
     else
-        let $vim_cache_home=expand("$XDG_CACHE_HOME/vim")
+        let g:vim_cache_home = expand( "$HOME/.local/cache/vim" )
     endif
 
-    if empty($XDG_DATA_HOME)
-        let $vim_data_home=expand("$HOME/.local/share/vim")
+    if exists( "$XDG_DATA_HOME" )
+        let g:vim_data_home = expand( "$XDG_DATA_HOME/vim" )
     else
-        let $vim_data_home=expand("$XDG_DATA_HOME/vim")
+        let g:vim_data_home = expand( "$HOME/.local/share/vim" )
     endif
 endfunction
 
-function! SetUserRuntimePath(dir)
-    let $user_rtp=a:dir
-    let $runtimepath_old=&runtimepath
-    set runtimepath=$user_rtp,$user_rtp/after,$runtimepath_old
+function! SetUserRuntimePath( dir )
+    let l:user_rtp = a:dir
+    let l:runtimepath_old = &runtimepath
+    let &runtimepath .= ',' . expand(l:user_rtp)
+    let &runtimepath .= ',' . expand(l:user_rtp) . '/after'
+    let &runtimepath .= ',' . expand(l:runtimepath_old)
 endfunction
 
-function! SetUserBackupdir(dir)
-    let &backupdir=a:dir . "/backup"
-    if !isdirectory(expand(&backupdir))
-        call mkdir(expand(&backupdir), "p", 0700)
+function! SetUserBackupdir( dir )
+    if $USER == 'root'
+        set nobackup
+        return
+    endif
+
+    let &backupdir = a:dir . "/backup"
+    if !isdirectory( expand( &backupdir ) )
+        call mkdir( expand( &backupdir ), "p", 0700 )
     endif
 endfunction
 
-function! SetUserSwapdir(dir)
-    let &directory=a:dir . "/swap"
-    if !isdirectory(expand(&directory))
-        call mkdir(expand(&directory), "p", 0700)
+function! SetUserSwapdir( dir )
+    if $USER == 'root'
+        set noswapfile
+        return
+    endif
+
+    let &directory = a:dir . "/swap"
+    if !isdirectory( expand( &directory ) )
+        call mkdir( expand( &directory ), "p", 0700 )
     endif
 endfunction
 
-function! SetUserViewdir(dir)
-    if has('mksession')
-        let &viewdir=a:dir . "/views"
-        if !isdirectory(expand(&viewdir))
-            call mkdir(expand(&viewdir), "p", 0700)
-        endif
+function! SetUserViewdir( dir )
+    if !has( 'mksession' )
+        return
+    endif
+
+    let &viewdir = a:dir . "/views"
+    if !isdirectory( expand( &viewdir ) )
+        call mkdir( expand( &viewdir ), "p", 0700 )
     endif
 endfunction
 
-function! SetUserUndodir(dir)
-    if has('persistent_undo')
-        let &undodir=a:dir . "/undo"
-        if !isdirectory(expand(&undodir))
-            call mkdir(expand(&undodir), "p", 0700)
-        endif
+function! SetUserUndodir( dir )
+    if !has( 'persistent_undo' )
+        return
+    endif
+
+    let &undodir = a:dir . "/undo"
+    if !isdirectory( expand( &undodir ) )
+        call mkdir( expand( &undodir ), "p", 0700 )
     endif
 endfunction
 
-function! SetUserViminfo(dir)
-    if has('viminfo')
-        if !isdirectory(a:dir)
-            call mkdir(a:dir, "p", 0700)
-        endif
-        set nocompatible
-        let &viminfo="'1000,<50,s10,n" . a:dir . "/viminfo"
+function! SetUserViminfo( dir )
+    if !has( 'viminfo' )
+        return
     endif
+
+    if !isdirectory( a:dir )
+        call mkdir( a:dir, "p", 0700 )
+    endif
+
+    set nocompatible
+    let &viminfo = "'1000,<50,s10,n" . a:dir . "/viminfo"
 endfunction
 
+
+"###########
+"# Options #
+"###########
+
 function! SetOptions()
     set autoindent
     set backspace=indent,eol,start
@@ -81,7 +117,7 @@ function! SetOptions()
     set ttimeoutlen=100
     set laststatus=2
     set number
-    set autoread " does it even work?
+    set autoread
     set fileformats=unix,dos,mac
     set display+=lastline
     set noerrorbells
@@ -89,10 +125,44 @@ function! SetOptions()
     set t_vb=
     set showmatch
 
-    "#################################
-    "# Options depending on features #
-    "#################################
+    " set scroll offset slightly higher so that the next or previous line can be seen
+    if !&scrolloff
+        set scrolloff=1
+    endif
 
+    " same as with scroll offset but for horizontal scrolling
+    if !&sidescrolloff
+        set sidescrolloff=5
+    endif
+
+    " set the history far higher (default 50)
+    if &history < 1000
+        set history=1000
+    endif
+
+    " increase the maximal number of tabpages (default 10)
+    if &tabpagemax < 50
+        set tabpagemax=50
+    endif
+
+    " set the terminal colors to 256 if not in a VT
+    if exists($TERM)
+        if &t_Co == 8 && $TERM !~# '^linux'
+            set t_Co=256
+        endif
+    endif
+
+    if &listchars ==# 'eol:$'
+        set listchars=tab:>\ ,trail:-,extends:>,precedes:<,nbsp:+
+    endif
+
+    " load the matchit macros
+    if !exists('g:loaded_matchit') && findfile('plugins/matchit.vim', &rtp) ==# ''
+        runtime! macros/matchit.vim
+    endif
+endfunction
+
+function! SetFeatureDependentOptions()
     " allow the cursor to be positioned where no characters are in virtual block mode 
     if has('virtualedit')
         set virtualedit=block
@@ -142,56 +212,19 @@ function! SetOptions()
     if has('mouse')
         set mouse=a
     endif
-
-
-    "######################################
-    "# Options depending on set variables #
-    "######################################
-
-    " set scroll offset slightly higher so that the next or previous line can be seen
-    if !&scrolloff
-        set scrolloff=1
-    endif
-
-    " same as with scroll offset but for horizontal scrolling
-    if !&sidescrolloff
-        set sidescrolloff=5
-    endif
-
-    " set the history far higher (default 50)
-    if &history < 1000
-        set history=1000
-    endif
-
-    " increase the maximal number of tabpages (default 10)
-    if &tabpagemax < 50
-        set tabpagemax=50
-    endif
-
-    " set the terminal colors to 256 if not in a VT
-    if exists($TERM)
-        if &t_Co == 8 && $TERM !~# '^linux'
-            set t_Co=256
-        endif
-    endif
-
-    "#################
-    "# Plugins, etc. #
-    "#################
-
-    " load the matchit macros
-    if !exists('g:loaded_matchit') && findfile('plugins/matchit.vim', &rtp) ==# ''
-        runtime! macros/matchit.vim
-    endif
 endfunction
 
-if empty($my_vim)
-    call CheckXDGVars()
-    call SetUserRuntimePath($vim_config_home)
-    call SetUserSwapdir($vim_data_home)
-    call SetUserUndodir($vim_data_home)
-    call SetUserViewdir($vim_data_home)
-    call SetUserBackupdir($vim_data_home)
-    call SetUserViminfo($vim_cache_home)
-    call SetOptions()
-endif " empty($my_vim)
+
+"#########
+"# Setup #
+"#########
+
+call CheckXDGVars()
+call SetUserRuntimePath( g:vim_config_home )
+call SetUserSwapdir( g:vim_data_home )
+call SetUserUndodir( g:vim_data_home )
+call SetUserViewdir( g:vim_data_home )
+call SetUserBackupdir( g:vim_data_home )
+call SetUserViminfo( g:vim_cache_home )
+call SetOptions()
+call SetFeatureDependentOptions()