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  3. Learning a language using an IDE or text editor.

Learning a language using an IDE or text editor.

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  • O Obi_Hendrix

    Hi, I'm very new to object oriented programming. Having just read Text editor Vs IDE[^] do folks think from the start it would be better to learn using a text editor rather than an IDE (Honest question...don't want to start any arguments :) )?

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    Madhava Verma Dantuluri
    wrote on last edited by
    #32

    IDE helps to save the time and brings you all at your perusal. However for a beginner, i wont recommend IDE.

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    • O Obi_Hendrix

      Hi, I'm very new to object oriented programming. Having just read Text editor Vs IDE[^] do folks think from the start it would be better to learn using a text editor rather than an IDE (Honest question...don't want to start any arguments :) )?

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      thatraja
      wrote on last edited by
      #33

      For HTML, still I prefer Notepad. Hand coding!

      thatraja

      Code converters | Education Needed No thanks, I am all stocked up. - Luc Pattyn When you're wrestling a gorilla, you don't stop when you're tired, you stop when the gorilla is - Henry Minute

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      • O Obi_Hendrix

        Hi, I'm very new to object oriented programming. Having just read Text editor Vs IDE[^] do folks think from the start it would be better to learn using a text editor rather than an IDE (Honest question...don't want to start any arguments :) )?

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        R Offline
        R Erasmus
        wrote on last edited by
        #34

        IDE will maybe help you along the way but will also make your life difficult along the way. It does a lot of things for you, and it is good to know those things it does. With a text editor, you have to do those things yourself, thus you learn more. IDEs is not supported by all platforms so if the day arrives that you have to develop on a platform which doesn't support an IDE you'll be struggling coz you've been using a IDE. Personally if I was you, I'd start off using text editor and later move to IDE. You get some kick ass text editors these days which can do exactly what IDEs can do.

        "Program testing can be used to show the presence of bugs, but never to show their absence." << please vote!! >>

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        • OriginalGriffO OriginalGriff

          IDE - no contest. It helps you at every turn: it prompts you with method names and properties, it helps remind you of function parameters, and it tells you when you misspell something as you go along. It handles indentation, and it works exactly the same when debugging as it does when you are editing. Ignore the purists: I started with text editors and I wouldn't go back!

          Those who fail to learn history are doomed to repeat it. --- George Santayana (December 16, 1863 – September 26, 1952) Those who fail to clear history are doomed to explain it. --- OriginalGriff (February 24, 1959 – ∞)

          pkfoxP Offline
          pkfoxP Offline
          pkfox
          wrote on last edited by
          #35

          Same here press ! To execute shell script , vi ? Vi ? Vi ?

          We can’t stop here, this is bat country - Hunter S Thompson RIP

          OriginalGriffO 1 Reply Last reply
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          • pkfoxP pkfox

            Same here press ! To execute shell script , vi ? Vi ? Vi ?

            We can’t stop here, this is bat country - Hunter S Thompson RIP

            OriginalGriffO Offline
            OriginalGriffO Offline
            OriginalGriff
            wrote on last edited by
            #36

            If was always fun to realize you had typed your C code into vi and it was executing it as a command string...No! Stop! Noooooooo......

            Those who fail to learn history are doomed to repeat it. --- George Santayana (December 16, 1863 – September 26, 1952) Those who fail to clear history are doomed to explain it. --- OriginalGriff (February 24, 1959 – ∞)

            "I have no idea what I did, but I'm taking full credit for it." - ThisOldTony
            "Common sense is so rare these days, it should be classified as a super power" - Random T-shirt

            pkfoxP 1 Reply Last reply
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            • K Keith Barrow

              IDE hands down - especially when you are just starting. I mean you should, just for the experience, code apps up in using a notepad type text editor and command line compiler, be sure to use mutiliple files and include and if your chosen environment allows it build scripts. Doing this as the main way of working just strikes me as bizarre and contrarian. I worked in one place where vi was the only editor hard-core enough, funnily enough I used emacs (the only viable alternative for our environnment) as was far more productive.

              PB 369,783 wrote:

              I just find him very unlikeable, and I think the way he looks like a prettier version of his Mum is very disturbing.[^]

              pkfoxP Offline
              pkfoxP Offline
              pkfox
              wrote on last edited by
              #37

              I actually got pretty fast using vi for coding but it was vanilla c in those days ( shudder ) I also used WordStar for coding COBOL ( double shudder ) when intellisense first came out I didn't like it as it got in the way but would find it very difficult to live without now given the sheer size of frameworks these days. IDE 1 : Text Editor 0

              We can’t stop here, this is bat country - Hunter S Thompson RIP

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              • O Obi_Hendrix

                Hi, I'm very new to object oriented programming. Having just read Text editor Vs IDE[^] do folks think from the start it would be better to learn using a text editor rather than an IDE (Honest question...don't want to start any arguments :) )?

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                S Offline
                Simon ORiordan from UK
                wrote on last edited by
                #38

                IDE definitely.

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                • OriginalGriffO OriginalGriff

                  If was always fun to realize you had typed your C code into vi and it was executing it as a command string...No! Stop! Noooooooo......

                  Those who fail to learn history are doomed to repeat it. --- George Santayana (December 16, 1863 – September 26, 1952) Those who fail to clear history are doomed to explain it. --- OriginalGriff (February 24, 1959 – ∞)

                  pkfoxP Offline
                  pkfoxP Offline
                  pkfox
                  wrote on last edited by
                  #39

                  Yes reminds me of "you have backed up everything haven't you ?" STOP STOP OH NOOOOOOO....

                  We can’t stop here, this is bat country - Hunter S Thompson RIP

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                  • O Obi_Hendrix

                    Hi, I'm very new to object oriented programming. Having just read Text editor Vs IDE[^] do folks think from the start it would be better to learn using a text editor rather than an IDE (Honest question...don't want to start any arguments :) )?

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                    S Offline
                    simion314
                    wrote on last edited by
                    #40

                    If the IDE has an integrated debugger then I suggest using it, is so educational to watch how the code runs, how stuf works and ofcourse is easy to find your bugs. simion314

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                    • O Obi_Hendrix

                      Hi, I'm very new to object oriented programming. Having just read Text editor Vs IDE[^] do folks think from the start it would be better to learn using a text editor rather than an IDE (Honest question...don't want to start any arguments :) )?

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                      C Offline
                      cjb110
                      wrote on last edited by
                      #41

                      IDE for sure, but once you have the basics of the language, allocate some time to learn what the IDE has been doing for you. If its been creating stubs/boilerplate stuff, then check those find out what they're doing, and why. Also be familiar with the structure of any project files or solution files, they aren't the language but you'll likely need to change them at some point. Taking an app that builds in the IDE and then build it yourself via the command-line tools is a good idea. Finally learn what else the IDE can do, can it help build unit tests?, help during the design? etc

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                      • J jeron1

                        OriginalGriff wrote:

                        I started with text editors and I wouldn't go back!

                        Same here!

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                        glennPattonWork3
                        wrote on last edited by
                        #42

                        Much as I would like the newbies to feel pain, IDE it helps in leaning syntax...

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                        • O Obi_Hendrix

                          Hi, I'm very new to object oriented programming. Having just read Text editor Vs IDE[^] do folks think from the start it would be better to learn using a text editor rather than an IDE (Honest question...don't want to start any arguments :) )?

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                          R Offline
                          Rajesh R Subramanian
                          wrote on last edited by
                          #43

                          IDE.

                          "Real men drive manual transmission" - Rajesh.

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                          • OriginalGriffO OriginalGriff

                            IDE - no contest. It helps you at every turn: it prompts you with method names and properties, it helps remind you of function parameters, and it tells you when you misspell something as you go along. It handles indentation, and it works exactly the same when debugging as it does when you are editing. Ignore the purists: I started with text editors and I wouldn't go back!

                            Those who fail to learn history are doomed to repeat it. --- George Santayana (December 16, 1863 – September 26, 1952) Those who fail to clear history are doomed to explain it. --- OriginalGriff (February 24, 1959 – ∞)

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                            J Offline
                            Joan M
                            wrote on last edited by
                            #44

                            IDEm :rolleyes:

                            [www.tamautomation.com] | Robots, CNC and PLC machines for grinding and polishing. [YouTube channel]

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                            • O Obi_Hendrix

                              Hi, I'm very new to object oriented programming. Having just read Text editor Vs IDE[^] do folks think from the start it would be better to learn using a text editor rather than an IDE (Honest question...don't want to start any arguments :) )?

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                              Septimus Hedgehog
                              wrote on last edited by
                              #45

                              The IDE solves many problems but IDE-bloat makes it tricky to master. When I search for text, I use my standalone editor, UltraEdit. Its search facilities are better then VS and I can see contexts which are much nicer to navigate than with the IDE. In short, don't be shy to use things that complement the IDE. You sometimes need more than a hammer and chisel in your toolbox. :) :thumbsup:

                              If there is one thing more dangerous than getting between a bear and her cubs it's getting between my wife and her chocolate.

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                              • OriginalGriffO OriginalGriff

                                Well, technically I didn't start with text editors: it was punched cards, which were like text editors with bad attitude and no "backspace" key... :laugh:

                                Those who fail to learn history are doomed to repeat it. --- George Santayana (December 16, 1863 – September 26, 1952) Those who fail to clear history are doomed to explain it. --- OriginalGriff (February 24, 1959 – ∞)

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                                greldak
                                wrote on last edited by
                                #46

                                I seem to recall that there was a backspace key - it punched all holes in the column which was read as ASCII 127 or whatever the EBCDIC equivalent was. What you didn't have was the cursor control keys. Generally it was as easy to copy the card up to the error and continue from there. I'd agree about using the IDE being much beter though although the ext editor approach does have a few benifits primarily it encourages you to get the syntax correct in the first place. The even greater benifit of punched cards or more accurately the day's wait for the printout in the bucket run was to ensure that you understood the code you were writing.

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                                • OriginalGriffO OriginalGriff

                                  IDE - no contest. It helps you at every turn: it prompts you with method names and properties, it helps remind you of function parameters, and it tells you when you misspell something as you go along. It handles indentation, and it works exactly the same when debugging as it does when you are editing. Ignore the purists: I started with text editors and I wouldn't go back!

                                  Those who fail to learn history are doomed to repeat it. --- George Santayana (December 16, 1863 – September 26, 1952) Those who fail to clear history are doomed to explain it. --- OriginalGriff (February 24, 1959 – ∞)

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                                  G Offline
                                  gervacleto
                                  wrote on last edited by
                                  #47

                                  I started with something "less" than a text editor. Basic on Commodore 64, and believe me, it was a pain in the .... neck ;) After that I went to AmigaBasic a real text editor, I traveled through many different programming languages and editors until I landed on Visual Basic V. 1.0. It was like arrive to haven (Programmer's haven, of course). Water ran under bridges and now I am using Visual Studio (C#), and there is no way to return to my text editor's time. It is like get down from a limo to travel on a wheelbarrow. Of course this is my personal opinion, no offense :laugh:

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                                  • O Obi_Hendrix

                                    Hi, I'm very new to object oriented programming. Having just read Text editor Vs IDE[^] do folks think from the start it would be better to learn using a text editor rather than an IDE (Honest question...don't want to start any arguments :) )?

                                    O Offline
                                    O Offline
                                    Obi_Hendrix
                                    wrote on last edited by
                                    #48

                                    Thanks all for your comments, seems I'll be playing with both then!

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                                    • O Obi_Hendrix

                                      Hi, I'm very new to object oriented programming. Having just read Text editor Vs IDE[^] do folks think from the start it would be better to learn using a text editor rather than an IDE (Honest question...don't want to start any arguments :) )?

                                      K Offline
                                      K Offline
                                      Kirk 10389821
                                      wrote on last edited by
                                      #49

                                      Honestly, it depends on the IDE and your environment. I would say multiple monitors is more important that an IDE, but having BOTH is better. Also, I recommend the PAINFULLY obvious... Please spend a LOT of time READING code. You would not expect someone to be a good author who had never read a book, would you? So, the more code you read, the more you will start to pick up, and leverage later on. There is nothing wrong with a Good IDE. But if the IDE is constantly saying "Please wait while we do some background work", and it slows you down... Then it might be frustrating/painful. On the other hand, if it is responsive, and works, and has easy access to help, etc. I think it is a great way to learn. And I have punched cards, and worked with TECO (optimized for Paper Terminal Editing, on a PDP/11). I use NotePad++ for a lot, but I use a couple of IDEs where they make sense. Syntax highlighting can significantly help with learning a language, and specifically reading source code... Best of luck....

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                                      • O Obi_Hendrix

                                        Hi, I'm very new to object oriented programming. Having just read Text editor Vs IDE[^] do folks think from the start it would be better to learn using a text editor rather than an IDE (Honest question...don't want to start any arguments :) )?

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                                        StatementTerminator
                                        wrote on last edited by
                                        #50

                                        Either way is fine for learning the language and OO principles. But part of what you need to learn is how to use an IDE, you need to know how to use the tools for scaffolding, building, debugging, etc. because this is how most software shops do things. So I'd say go ahead and use whatever IDE is appropriate for your language, because you'll need to know how to use it.

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                                        • O Obi_Hendrix

                                          Hi, I'm very new to object oriented programming. Having just read Text editor Vs IDE[^] do folks think from the start it would be better to learn using a text editor rather than an IDE (Honest question...don't want to start any arguments :) )?

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                                          L Offline
                                          Leng Vang
                                          wrote on last edited by
                                          #51

                                          It really depend on how much time you can devote to learn a new language with its libraries. Also how in-depth you want to know the new language or programming paradigm. If you have a project waiting to be developed and you are coming to speed on the language then a IDE will get you there quicker. A good IDE (i.e. Visual Studio) is an memory augmentation as well as a guiding tool. Projects involve not just the language you will have to know but also the mountain of libraries as well. However, if you really want to burn the language construct into memory, using a text editor will do that, because you have to correct any mistakes you've made and we all know we learn best from our mistakes. If you are absolute beginner start to learn to program, text editor might be easier path, but if you are seasoned programmer just stepping into other language and already familiar with how IDE works, then an IDE probably the way to go. Fighting an IDE at the same time while trying to understand a new syntax is a double edges sword.

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