Post #114,264
8/19/03 12:56:56 AM
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Re: Care to be quotable on code editors?
I've used Visual SlickEdit, emacs, vi, and nedit. In addition, I've used the Borland, Visual Studio, and Visual Age IDEs.
1. Code editors are "lighter" than IDEs. Don't require tons of memory and resources. Code editors are better on multi-user environments, and environments where resources (memory) are limited.
2. Source code highlighting and syntax checking speed up development and prevent recompiles, saving machine cycles.
3. Nedit is nice for people who have to do double duty in Windows and Unix. The cut/paste commands mirror Windows, so you're not cursing at the editor (like you sometimes do with vi or emacs), when you're Windows cut/paste combinations don't work.
4. Vi is on just about every Unix platform. It's always there.
5. Emacs is so much more powerful than vi, but you have to invest time in installing it on most machines. The lisp scripts are very powerful, but it takes time to learn.
6. I used Visual SlickEdit in my OS/2 days about 10 years ago. We had the OS/2 and Windows versions. It replaced a DOS code editor we had. It was excellent, when you didn't have the resources to run CSet++.
One thing you haven't mentioned here that MUST be in your article is the need for compare utilities. Unix has diff, but diff is really just a start, especially when you're doing code merges in a significant code base and you don't want to auto-merge. We use a tool called Beyond Compare at our office that is simply amazing. It will diff a whole directory (or tree) of files, then allow you to quickly go down through two source code trees simultaneously, merging code.
As for IDEs, I think they're too slow on most Unix environments, and I would recommend them only on a 1.7ghz Windows system or faster, especially the larger ones.
Visual Age is the worst. It crashes frequently, and seems to be a nightmare to even keep it running. Visual Age may very well be the largest reason that people don't use IBM's middleware. You need about 512meg just to start with Visual Age in a graphical environment.
Visual Studio is tried and true at this point. I'm not excited about it, but I'm familiar with it, and it's flexible enough to do what I need to do in C++ or Internet Development with Visual Interdev.
Borland is the standard. Their tools are awesome. They rock. We used JBuilder on my last Java project and it really rocked. The OptimizeIt suite of tools paid for the $3000/seat cost by helping us find bottlenecks in our code. JBuilder is flexible enough to allow you to customize JVM's, work with different App Server tools. It does require at least 256meg of memory, and 512 is recommended, but it's way more stable than Visual Age.
There's my two cents, Maggie.
Glen Austin
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Post #114,291
8/19/03 7:40:48 AM
8/19/03 11:04:59 AM
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I diverged. Here's the list.
These aren't ranked highest to lowest, but just a list. We'll start with 10, but I may come up with more as I work today.
1. Good indenting tools to reformat code.
2. Good cut/paste capabilities. The best can even cut/paste between Windows and X-Windows.
3. Global search/replace, preferably with grep-like capabilities.
4. Ability to do compares/diffs between files (or even directories).
5. Quick navigation, goto a line. Search next. Emacs even produces a member list on OO programs, and allows you to jump to a member.
6. Online code highlight/syntax check to prevent typo errors.
7. Auto tab conversion to spaces for shops that don't have a standard editor (like ours). Or code reformatter to fix the indents.
8. Ability to save/load code fragments to/from separate files.
9. Ability to edit multiple files at one time.
10. Easy navigation of the files in a project.
11. Undo capability (Ctl-Z in nedit and most Windows editors)
12. Find in file or grep capabilities. (Find this string in all the files in this tree.)
13. Integration with version control system (getting close to an IDE there)
14. Scriptability (or at least a significant level of customizability)
15. Ability to repeat commands.
Actually, I stole the last three from Scott M. and Arkadily, but they're things that I use all the time. My JBuilder had VSS and CVS integration. Nedit and emacs are very customizable. And vi's dot command allows you to repeat commands.
Glen Austin
Edited by gdaustin
Aug. 19, 2003, 11:01:53 AM EDT
Edited by gdaustin
Aug. 19, 2003, 11:03:26 AM EDT
Edited by gdaustin
Aug. 19, 2003, 11:04:59 AM EDT
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Post #114,358
8/19/03 4:07:02 PM
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This is great...thank you!
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Post #114,357
8/19/03 4:05:40 PM
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great input...compare utilities?
...this is very useful commentary. I appreciate the help.
I will add some info on compare utilities. Still trying to
get my arms around the piece so all input is helpful.
WRT compare utilities...any others aside from Beyond Compare
that are equally as useful? For example, I use a few different
compare plugins when using jEdit and they seem to work well for
my purposes. Other compare tools that rock or don't?
BTW, I do need title/company to do the quote. I can do some as
"Computer Consultant", but not every quote can be consultant-based.
You can e-mail title/company if you like. Thank you!
-Slugbug
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Post #114,365
8/19/03 4:25:42 PM
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Compare Utilities
I just ran across Beyond Compare recently, at my new job.
I really like it because you can do compares across two
directory trees, comparing files with the same name.
Both files are displayed side by side, with options to
copy sections of code from one file to another, as
differences are encountered.
Traditionally, I've used diff and grep heavily in the Unix
environment, and IDE tools like those in JBuilder in the Windows
Environment.
Glen Austin
CTO of DoThePlan.com (personal company)
Senior Programmer for iSoft, Corporation (full-time)
I'd rather you quote the personal one, 'cause I get free publicity
and I'll get a web page up before the article is published.
DoThePlan.com is a project of mine to provide project planning
tools over the web. I also have MedSched.net which is another
project to provide Medical Scheduling tools.
But, if you must, then my "day job" is at iSoft.
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Post #114,369
8/19/03 4:40:01 PM
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On Second Thought
Just use the iSoft one for now. I need to get my prototype up and
going before I get web page hits on the server.
Glen
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Post #114,378
8/19/03 4:58:04 PM
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Ok either way....
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Post #114,379
8/19/03 5:00:18 PM
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How far out is the article?
If the article isn't going to be published until October or
November, I could have something out there by then.
Use the DoThePlan.com
If it's a September article, use the iSoft id.
Thanks!
Glen Austin
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Post #114,426
8/19/03 9:57:03 PM
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It running....
...in September. iSoft it is...thank you.
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Post #114,406
8/19/03 6:12:12 PM
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opendiff on OS X is the best I've ever used
And for version control I recommend CVL - a decent CVS UI - open source from SENTE.
Smalltalk is dangerous. It is a drug. My advice to you would be don't try it; it could ruin your life. Once you take the time to learn it (to REALLY learn it) you will see that there is nothing out there (yet) to touch it. Of course, like all drugs, how dangerous it is depends on your character. It may be that once you've got to this stage you'll find it difficult (if not impossible) to "go back" to other languages and, if you are forced to, you might become an embittered character constantly muttering ascerbic comments under your breath. Who knows, you may even have to quit the software industry altogether because nothing else lives up to your new expectations.
--AndyBower
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