[BangPypers] Choosing an Editor for Python ???

[Biju Chacko]

Anand Balachandran Pillai wrote:
> On 9/15/07, Vimal Menon <vimalmenon at yahoo.com> wrote:
>> Hi,
>>
>> Stany's Python Editor (SPE) is easy and comfortable for beginners, its
>> wonderful :) . WingIDE is also good, but its not free :).  I use vi though,
>> vi has nice little tricks which keeps on amusing me and keep me attached to
>> vi. On Windows system I love to use UltraEdit(not free), it is very powerful
>> and memory efficient (better than vi ;) .. hehe my assumption) and also has
>> a python extension (syntax highlight). UltraEdit also works fine through
>> WINE in linux.
>>
> 
> <bail>
> Not meant to start Emacs - vi flame wars !
> </bail>
> 
> Though I mentioned SPE,  I normally use Emacs for everything
> unless I want some quick trick like generating UML on the fly
> from code.
> 
> However I am an emacs veteran with an experience of using
> it and customizing it with elisp for last 13 years. Definitely
> not meant for the newbie :)


If you're going to do any serious editing in any language, you need to 
get a good editor. Your editor of choice can make programming a joy or 
sheer hell. It's like choosing the correct pair of shoes before running 
a marathon.

I'd suggest that you try out emacs and vim. Find out which suits you 
better and then make a time investment to really learn how to use it. 
Both of these editors have steep learning curves (emacs is marginally 
less steep) but knowing one well will really pay off in the long run.

I generally stay away from IDEs because I hate having to learn a new 
environment just because I'm programming in a new language. Also, being 
an old-timer I'm more productive without an IDE. YMMV.

HTH,

-- b

PS: I've made this particular post so many times that I should just 
automate it. :-)