What are you using to write your code?

[gotenks05]

I use a Mac, so my text editing program of choice when is TextEdit to write the code and terminal to compile it.

[Eranga]

I use a Mac, so my text editing program of choice when is TextEdit to write the code and terminal to compile it.

Common for all UNIX systems.

[satu]

netbeans is good for now, before it i was using eclipse.
this is not possible to compare every IDE but i remember when i started to use netbeans i thought and compare it with eclipse and found some good new features. this was sound good but when after 6 months i again used eclipse those features are available in it also. so be positive with all and use whatever is good in a particular time.

[gotenks05]

Common for all UNIX systems.

True, but Apple calls their text editor TextEdit, very unoriginal.

[Eranga]

True, but Apple calls their text editor TextEdit, very unoriginal.

I'll check it when I got a chance.

[iuna]

Eclipse or NetBeans on creating GUIs? Which do you prefer?

[gotenks05]

I wouldn't use an IDE mainly because they might add unnecessary code just like programs that deal with web design.

[masijade]

I wouldn't use an IDE mainly because they might add unnecessary code just like programs that deal with web design.

Then good luck with that.

A programming IDE is not a web design tool. If you use it to generate things it may generate it a bit more archaicly or rigidly than you would do it by hand (mainly only when generating GUI code with it), but 99.9999999% of the time the IDE is not generating anything (unlike web design tools which generate everything. An IDE's best uses are it's code completion (single method calls so you don't have to type the entire name, and also, usually, you can get a list of possible methods to choose from), it's continuous syntax proofing, it's ability to automatically package (and possibly deploy) the application, its compilation and running ability, allowing easy classpath configuration (as long as you stay within the IDE).

It has almost nothing to do with code generation, except for specific features that you do not have to use. Usually "code cleanup" and "code start" type things, i.e. generating stubs for inherited abstract methods, generating serialVersionIDs, fixing indentation (to a configurable style), adding braces around blocks.

Nothing to run away from or be scared of.

[gotenks05]

The question I replied to was dealing with GUI applications. That is why I said it might add unnecessary. True, for programs designed to run in a terminal program (such as Command prompt, which emulates DOS) IDEs probably won't add the same unnecessary code as it could with GUI applications. that syntax proofing could be a benefit, but I would still suggest hard coding a GUI instead of having the IDE do it. IDE are just fine for compiling and running though (tried one out but it did not work out as well as a text editor and a terminal application).

[flywheel]

Since I'm a newcomer and still not able to post links and images I've included the Google search words.

When I started on this I used MED (Former Mr Ed) - google search words "med editor"

Then later xEmacs - but you've already got Emacs listed

Then jEdit : google search word "jedit"

Now Netbeans - This one you know :)

Many thanks
flywheel

[Eranga]

Eclipse or NetBeans on creating GUIs? Which do you prefer?

I'm a NetBeans user. It's a fantastic IDE for me. Move there from IntelliJ IDEA and, and much greater than it.

[Eranga]

Since I'm a newcomer and still not able to post links and images I've included the Google search words.

When I started on this I used MED (Former Mr Ed) - google search words "med editor"

Then later xEmacs - but you've already got Emacs listed

Then jEdit : google search word "jedit"

Now Netbeans - This one you know :)

Many thanks
flywheel

So you are a NetBeans user. ;)

[masijade]

I'm a NetBeans user. It's a fantastic IDE for me. Move there from IntelliJ IDEA and, and much greater than it.

I know many people who would consider this blasphemy. ;-)

[masijade]

IDE are just fine for compiling and running though (tried one out but it did not work out as well as a text editor and a terminal application).

Then all I can say is, you didn't give it enought time and effort. IDEs are a great boost to productivity.

It is best to learn the language, and everything that goes with it, with a simple text editor (preferably one with at least some syntax highlighting) and the command line for compiling, packaging, deploying, and running, but once you know the language and the things that go with it, it really is time to move onto a full-fledged IDE.

And, no, I would never allow one to generate more than the simplest of GUI's though.

[Eranga]

Then all I can say is, you didn't give it enought time and effort. IDEs are a great boost to productivity.

It is best to learn the language, and everything that goes with it, with a simple text editor (preferably one with at least some syntax highlighting) and the command line for compiling, packaging, deploying, and running, but once you know the language and the things that go with it, it really is time to move onto a full-fledged IDE.

And, no, I would never allow one to generate more than the simplest of GUI's though.

Well said my pal. Without working on an IDE you never achieve to grate level in an application, you must use it.

As you said at the start better to use a simple environment to write code. Actually I recommended command prompt and the Notepad. I start to learn Java in the same way. Later on you must move to an IDE. Some people are start there work on with an IDE, and I don't think it's a bad idea too, but have to learn how to deal with how to use it in effective way.

[DarrylBurke]

My vote goes to NetBeans. Coming from a background of Visal FoxPro, I found NetBeans easy to use and configure, and the autocomplete / code insertion features were intuitive enough to give me a quick start in Java.

Later I switched to Notepad for a short time, to allow myself to get familiar with what NB had been doing (semi)automatically for me.

I know it's just me, but I just haven't been able to figure out Eclipse :( Every time I open it, I look around, read a bit of help, and go back to NB.

db

[Eranga]

Here comes another NetBeans lover. ;)

[DarrylBurke]

Here comes another NetBeans lover.

I love everything except the GUI generator. Myabe some users become expert in using it, but I find it tons easier to just write the swing code.

db

[gotenks05]

Then all I can say is, you didn't give it enought time and effort. IDEs are a great boost to productivity.

It is best to learn the language, and everything that goes with it, with a simple text editor (preferably one with at least some syntax highlighting) and the command line for compiling, packaging, deploying, and running, but once you know the language and the things that go with it, it really is time to move onto a full-fledged IDE.

And, no, I would never allow one to generate more than the simplest of GUI's though.

I guess that is where we differ in opinion. The IDEs that I used were Xcode (Mac only) and BlueJ and neither one worked out well, unless I was in the text editor view, maybe because I am more used to working with a text editor back when I was strictly doing hobbyist web design. Even if I knew the language very well, I would still use a text editor and a terminal application, in case I had to work on the program on a different computer (I don't believe Xcode can save entire projects to such formats that can be cross-platform). True, there may be better IDEs to use, but there are not very many IDEs that are packaged as JAR files themselves (at least that I could find), so I can carry a cross-platform copy of the application on a USB stick. In brief detail, I don't see the point of using an IDE, even if it may help productivity, if the best part of the IDE is its own text editor. Now, I do respect your opinion but people can be just as productive without an IDE when making programs because you can already do pretty much anything without using one. At least, we agree somewhat on GUI applications.

[masijade]

Well, that speaks to your choices. BlueJ is the worst there is.

And yes, you can do just about anything without one, but you can do it so much quicker with one. That is the difference in productivity.