[Baypiggies] What am I missing using a text editor with some good Python features instead of an IDE?

[Shannon -jj Behrens]

I liked it when everyone showed off their favorite features of their
editors :)

-jj

On Tue, Mar 6, 2012 at 11:01 AM, jim <jim at well.com> wrote:

>
>
>    It's been a couple of years at least since we've
> had a talk on development tools. Wanna summarize with
> Q&A at a BayPIGgies meeting?
>
>
>
> On Tue, 2012-03-06 at 10:39 -0800, Shannon -jj Behrens wrote:
> > On Tue, Mar 6, 2012 at 10:19 AM, Paul Hoffman <paul.hoffman at gmail.com>
> > wrote:
> >         Hi again. I use BBEdit on the Mac and love it for editing all
> >         sorts of
> >         text files. It does a very nice job with Python programs: it
> >         handles
> >         indentation well; it shows me balanced opens when typing
> >         closing ), ],
> >         and }; it has a drop-down for all the subroutine names, and a
> >         few
> >         other things.
> >
> >         However, I haven't used any of the free/paid Python IDEs, and
> >         I
> >         realized that I might be missing some Really Cool Features
> >         that would
> >         cause me to use an IDE for my Python work and my text editor
> >         for the
> >         rest of the text work (like the HTML files documenting the
> >         Python...).
> >         What useful features am I missing?
> >
> >         Yes, this could cause a "my IDE is best" war, but I think some
> >         of us
> >         on the sidelines would benefit. :-)
> >
> >
> > The exact same conversation just happened on the SF Ruby Meetup
> > mailing list.  Here's a link
> > (http://www.sfruby.info/messages/30916602/).  Unfortunately, Meetup
> > doesn't have a threaded view of the mailing list.
> >
> >
> > Here's a summary of my opinion on the subject:
> >
> >
> >  * Lots of people still like Vim.
> >
> >
> >  * Lots of people are using the new Janus set of plugins for Vim.  I
> > tried it, and it didn't bring me joy at all.
> >
> >
> >  * Emacs seems to be more popular for Python than for Ruby.
> >
> >
> >  * Sublime Text 2 is an up-and-coming popular contender in the text
> > editor wars among Ruby users.  I'm a Vim diehard, but I've been using
> > Sublime Text 2 for a few weeks now. Beware, it's commercial.
> >
> >
> >  * TextMate has traditionally been the editor of choice for Rails
> > developers.
> >
> >
> >  * As far as I can tell, IntelliJ is the best IDE for Java, PyCharm is
> > the best IDE for Python, and RubyMine is the best IDE for Ruby.
> >  They're all from the same company.  They all cost money.
> >
> >
> >  * There are lots of things that a good IDE can do that a text editor
> > can't.
> >
> >
> >  * Generally, an IDE speeds up my development workflow in many ways,
> > but using Vim's keybindings speeds up my text editing.
> >
> >
> >  * PyCharm's Vim keybindings are okay, but not fantastic.  PyCharm's
> > editor isn't very sophisticated.
> >
> >
> >  * There are lots of ways in which Python and Ruby reduce the
> > effectiveness of a good IDE.  I.e. it's less useful for Python and
> > Ruby programmers than it is for Java programmers.
> >
> >
> >  * PyCharm and RubyMine really are amazing.  I encourage you to watch
> > the videos on the website to get a feel for what they can do.
> >
> >
> >  * PyCharm and RubyMine aren't without flaws.  They are big software.
> >  Sometimes they don't work as promised.  Sometimes they hang.
> >  Sometimes they crash.  They almost always eat lots of memory,
> > although that's less relevant these days since I have so much memory.
> >
> >
> >  * In my own experience, PyCharm and RubyMine can help you write
> > software quicker and more correctly, and they can also help you
> > refactor software quicker and more correctly.  However, when it comes
> > down to moving and tweaking text, you can't beat Vim.
> >
> >
> >  * There was a great IDE panel at last year's PyCon.  PyCharm came out
> > on top.  Most Python programmers don't care.
> >
> >
> >  * Sublime Text 2 is easier to use, easier to learn, and has more
> > *built in* power than Vim and Emacs.  Sure, Emacs lets you do anything
> > with Emacs Lisp.  Sublime Text 2 lets you do "anything" with Python
> > and/or the external programming language of your choice.  It is
> > compatible with TextMate bundles.  It has many tricks that other
> > editors fundamentally lack (such as multiple cursors, a 10,000 foot
> > view of your code, and the ability to guess at what the right
> > indentation settings for a random file are).
> >
> >
> >  * NetBeans with the jVi plugin is a good compromise of IDE
> > functionality with very good Vim keybindings, if that floats your
> > boat.
> >
> >
> >  * I just can't get into Eclipse no matter how hard I try.  PyCharm is
> > simply better.
> >
> >
> > Ok, I will now don a fireproof vest and hide in an undisclosed
> > location.  I really do love talking about editors and IDEs.  It's too
> > bad the subject always devolves into flame wars.
> >
> >
> > Best Regards,
> > -jj
> >
> >
> > --
> > In this life we cannot do great things. We can only do small things
> > with great love. -- Mother Teresa
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>
>
>


-- 
In this life we cannot do great things. We can only do small things with
great love. -- Mother Teresa
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