I use Emacs,

Post #114,302 by Arkadiy 8/19/03 10:10:17 AM Reply	I use Emacs, so my top 5 are almost a list of IDE requirements: - Syntax highlighting and autoindent, braces checking - Compilation and jump to compilation errors - Version control support, file comparison - Scriptability (including ad-hoc scripts) - Powerful search/replace, including multifile - Powerful cut and paste The fact that Emacs allows me to add the first 3 for any language by a bit of coding definitely helps. The fact that Ionly had to do it for one language helps even more :) . -- Less Is More. In my book, About Face, I introduce over 50 powerful design axioms. This is one of them. --Alan Cooper. The Inmates Are Running the Asylum
Post #114,367 by slugbug 8/19/03 4:37:54 PM Reply	but, but, but.... ....good input, thank you. If you were going to teach my 9 y.o. niece some simple programming would you get her into emacs or something else? There is a perception out there that newbies really need the "comfort" of an IDE. However, in my travels I have found it much easier to teach 9-90 y.o. using things like TextPad. Agree? Disagree? -Slugbug
Post #114,372 by admin 8/19/03 4:43:14 PM Reply	Data point: Skewed, but here it is: My son Duncan uses emacs to program his web pages. He uses an IDE to do BASIC and Smalltalk. He likes emacs because it can edit anything. He likes the BASIC IDE because everything is laid out for a kid (multimedia, point and drag stuff, etc.). I just had him run through the emacs tutorial and he picked it up fairly quickly. IDEs will handle the nitty gritty of file creation, directory arrangement, etc. better than an editor. The editors will have a much simpler set of things to learn. Emacs, of course, has it all. ;-) Regards, -scott anderson "Welcome to Rivendell, Mr. Anderson..."
Post #114,376 by Arkadiy 8/19/03 4:52:54 PM Reply	I will let you know in 4 years :) For _programming_ for a 9 years old, I'd probably use an IDE. Easier to teach to press a button than to type "gcc test.c; test" in a window. Plus, built-in debugger would allow to step through the code and see it in action. I still remember the thrill of first real debugger session in Turbo Pascal 5.5. Or, I might just add a button to emacs. And it supports debugging too. But then emacs turns into an IDE, and the whole question becomes moot. -- Less Is More. In my book, About Face, I introduce over 50 powerful design axioms. This is one of them. --Alan Cooper. The Inmates Are Running the Asylum

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