I prefer to use VIM with the system clipboard instead of the regular yank register. Most often this is not enabled on X based systems - here is how to compile it with X support.

Install VIM with X Window support

# Check for xterm_clipboard support
vim --version

# Get the compile-dependencies of vim
sudo apt-get build-dep vim

# If you haven't got mercurial, get it
sudo apt-get install mercurial

# Get the source
hg clone https://vim.googlecode.com/hg/ vim_source

# Compile it
cd vim_source

./configure \
    --enable-perlinterp=dynamic \
    --enable-pythoninterp=dynamic \
    --enable-rubyinterp=dynamic \
    --enable-cscope \
    --enable-gui=auto \
    --enable-gtk2-check \
    --enable-gnome-check \
    --with-features=huge \
    --with-x \
    --with-compiledby="Your Name <[email protected]>" \
    --with-python-config-dir=/usr/lib/python2.7/config

make && sudo make install

# PROFIT!