Unable to Edit Sublime Text's Default Settings

Solution 1:

You should not edit the default settings. Add the files you want to ignore to the file Packages/User/Preferences.sublime-settings. You can open this file by going to Preferences - >Settings - User. Anything you set here will override the default settings.

Solution 2:

I understand that you want to Not ignore the Vintage rather. This still can be done using the Preferences.sublime-setting-User. AFAIK, any value given in this file overwrites the entries in Preferences.sublime-setting-Default.

Simply add this line with the "Vintage" removed in it to your User preferences and you'll be fine. (Remember to save the file after you did the edit and the change will happen instantly)

Also, not that VI mode in sublime is on edit more by default so make sure you press Esc first to make sure VI is activated.

// Settings in here override those in "Default/Preferences.sublime-settings",
// and are overridden in turn by file type specific settings.
{
    "ignored_packages": []
}

Update

The latest format is,

{
    "ignored_packages":
    [
      // Line below is commented out to enable Vintage.
      //"Vintage"
    ],

    // To start Sublime in Command moder 
    // rather than Insert mode.
    "vintage_start_in_command_mode": true
}

Solution 3:

Install 'PackageResourceViewer' from 'Install Package' in the Command Palette.

Then use 'PackageResourceViewer' command in the Command Palette.

Use that to extract/open the default packages you previously were unable to.

More information here : https://github.com/skuroda/PackageResourceViewer