On Sat, 29 Nov 2008 12:44:14 -0800, Josh <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >If you were a beginning programmer and willing to make an investment in >steep learning curve for best returns down the road, which would you pick? > >I know this topic has been smashed around a bit already, but 'learning >curve' always seems to be an arguement. If you feel that one is easier >or harder than the others to learn feel free to tell, but let's not make >that the deciding factor. Which one will be most empowering down the >road as a development tool? > >Thanks in advance, > >JR
First, you must understand that this is an extremelly dangerous question to ask on a public newsgroup (expecially regarding the first and the third in the series). Wars have began over this. Many people were harmed in those wars. Many a land have been conquered and many a land lost. Many cows were killed. Many chickens were eaten in those wars. So, in regards for the chickens, decide carefully whether you want to continue on this journey. Well, that aside, it's a perfectly reasonable question. Myself, I never used eclipse so I can't give any opinion on it, but I have used vim and 'macs extensivly. In the end, I somehow settled onto vim, not because I think it's better, or ... anything else, but because at some time a coleague of mine gave me a few scripts of his which I found extremely useful in my day to day work, and ... Both are usually noted as leaving a "steep learning curve" - my advice would be to take this with some reserve. Yes, both have different interfaces from pretty much everything on today's windows's common user interface or linux's, but apart from that, it's pretty much the same as always; you've got save, open, you write in files, ... maybe vim's several modes can confuse you at first, but you'll see its not a big deal after all. Somebody suggested when you try learning either of those you stay in them as much as possible - I would reconsider that. Been using vim for 15 years now, but I still go back to other editors when situation demands. For quick and dirty edit notepad2 will serve fine, or kedit on L. By forcing on working in one of these all the time, not having yourself accustomed to them, you will find yourself in a need to do something, and not knowing how, in the end you will give up on them. Stay with your current preference for as long as you like, while you slowly discover ways to do those things in these as well. As time passes - maybe, maybe not - you'll discover it's much easier to do it in these. And last advice, ... I started using vim a long time ago, not because it was this or that, but because there wasn't much of a choise. Remember quite clearly using EDT for DOS for some time but it had its drawbacks. In nowadays you've got plenty of choices, notepad++, notepad2, programmers notepad, thisEdit, thatEdit ... all sorts of edits. If you don't (after some time) find yourself liking it, well, don't use it. You won't be much productive (the hip word in these discussions) by using something you find alien. Stay with your favourite. I sometimes think half the people use these because the other half talked them into it, and gave them the impression that "it was cool" while they were perfectly happy with their current choise (under windows for example, programmers notepad is a very nice editor, imho). Just my 2 cents. -- Mario -- http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list