# Favorite Programming Editors **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 26, 2003, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-programming-editors/157537 "2003-02-26T02:07:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![NotBob13](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e19b73/32.png) [@NotBob13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NotBob13)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2003, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-programming-editors/157537/1 "2003-02-26T02:07:19Z")
I’m just getting into programming, and wrote my first VB program last night. I loved the interface. I am a student, and really can’t aford a nice GUI to program in. Does anybody know a free/ extremely low cost GUI program to program in. I know a bit of Basic and Java, but am willing to learn other languages, if they have a good free editor. Thanks in advance, NotBob13 ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2003, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-programming-editors/157537/2 "2003-02-26T03:18:25Z")
GUI is not the word you’re looking for. A GUI is a graphical user interface, and applies to pretty much anything other than a command line. What you’re looking for is an IDE, which stands for integrated development environment. And what IDE you use depends a lot on what language you’re programming in. As far as VB goes, is there anything other than Microsoft’s editor out there? Take your language of choice, and go to google, and type in “free IDE \”. You should find something that way. ---
**Author:** ![samarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4da419/32.png) [@samarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samarm)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2003, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-programming-editors/157537/3 "2003-02-26T03:24:17Z")
IDEs tend to be all-in-one programs that allow you to write, edit, compile and run programs. These are good for things like Visual C++, VB etc. In my last job I was a shell script / perl programmer, and I used vi exclusively. It is a superb programmers editor, and in fact you can get a version for the PC, if you google around a bit. ---
**Author:** ![kferr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/71e660/32.png) [@kferr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kferr)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2003, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-programming-editors/157537/4 "2003-02-26T12:15:49Z")
I’ve been using the free [JEdit](http://www.jedit.org/) for a while now. It isn’t an IDE, but handles many different lanuages and is platform neutral. ---
**Author:** ![Some\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@Some\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Some_Guy)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2003, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-programming-editors/157537/5 "2003-02-26T12:58:35Z")
> [@](#): > > - In my last job I was a shell script / perl programmer, and I used vi exclusively. \*\* _shudder_ Much better to use emacs. There’s a version of that for Windows, too. Unlike vi, it’s not modeful, so you don’t have to prepend all your commands with ‘esc-esc-:’. If you’re using a Unix environment, jed is also good, and not quite as much of a resource hog. ---
**Author:** ![kferr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/71e660/32.png) [@kferr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kferr)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2003, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-programming-editors/157537/6 "2003-02-26T14:02:01Z")
We’d better call in the UN, I smell a vi/emacs perl/python holy war about to erupt! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![SmackFu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@SmackFu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmackFu)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2003, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-programming-editors/157537/7 "2003-02-26T14:47:02Z")
Yeah, Ctrl-X Ctrl-C is much more intuitive. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![ptr2void](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ptr2void/32/3406_2.png) [@ptr2void](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ptr2void)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2003, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-programming-editors/157537/8 "2003-02-26T15:10:37Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by NotBob13 \* > \*\*I am a student, and really can’t aford a nice GUI to program in. Does anybody know a free/ extremely low cost GUI program to program in. > \*\* If you are a full-time college student and can swing US$85, you can get Microsoft’s [Visual Studio .NET Academic](http://www.microsoft.com/catalog/display.asp?subid=22&site=11128) [here](http://www.academicsuperstore.com/market/marketdisp.html?PartNo=548820&nav_id=&cat_name=&Platform=Any&qk_srch=microsoft+visual+studio++&). This includes Visual Basic, Visual C#, Visual C++ and other stuff. Keep in mind that the non-academic version of this goes for around US$1000, so it’s quite a deal. ---
**Author:** ![brainfizz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/da6949/32.png) [@brainfizz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brainfizz)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2003, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-programming-editors/157537/9 "2003-02-26T15:16:56Z")
For microsoft stuff, visual studio is prolly best. For web stuff and scripting, I find that NoteTabPro is best. If you’re using unix then my fave is vi, but it’s hard to master! ---
**Author:** ![UnwrittenNocturne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/6de8d8/32.png) [@UnwrittenNocturne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UnwrittenNocturne)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2003, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-programming-editors/157537/10 "2003-02-26T15:22:11Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Some Guy \* > \*\*_shudder_ > > Much better to use emacs. There’s a version of that for Windows, too. Unlike vi, it’s not modeful, so you don’t have to prepend all your commands with ‘esc-esc-:’. If you’re using a Unix environment, jed is also good, and not quite as much of a resource hog. \*\* _More shuddering_ OK, I do most everything in **pico** - no real ‘features’ but so intuitive that you just type. Standard text. I have been known to use **jed** but not often. ---
**Author:** ![SlowMindThinking](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@SlowMindThinking](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlowMindThinking)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2003, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-programming-editors/157537/11 "2003-02-26T15:23:12Z")
Try [eclipse.org](http://eclipse.org) for a free Java IDE. ---
**Author:** ![DaddyTimesTwo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f07891/32.png) [@DaddyTimesTwo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DaddyTimesTwo)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2003, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-programming-editors/157537/12 "2003-02-26T15:28:37Z")
I use vi when working on the unix machines around here. I do some VB programming so I use the VB IDE for that, but all other editting tasks I use Multi-Edit. It’s great for all text/binary file editting needs. And I just use about 1/100th of its capabilites. ---
**Author:** ![Finagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@Finagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finagle)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2003, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-programming-editors/157537/13 "2003-02-26T15:34:14Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ptr2void \* > \*\*If you are a full-time college student and can swing US$85, you can get Microsoft’s [Visual Studio .NET Academic](http://www.microsoft.com/catalog/display.asp?subid=22&site=11128) [here](http://www.academicsuperstore.com/market/marketdisp.html?PartNo=548820&nav_id=&cat_name=&Platform=Any&qk_srch=microsoft+visual+studio++&). > This includes Visual Basic, Visual C#, Visual C++ and other stuff. Keep in mind that the non-academic version of this goes for around US$1000, so it’s quite a deal. \*\* Yes, but the downside of this is that Microsoft’s IDE does not have what anyone would consider a good programming editor. Its navigation abilites are rudimentary compared to an editor like vi, it has no ability to build macros for repetitive tasks, I don’t think it has multiple copy/paste buffers, and it is non-extensible. I was using more powerful editors in 1980. ---
**Author:** ![kasuo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8c91f0/32.png) [@kasuo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kasuo)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2003, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-programming-editors/157537/14 "2003-02-26T17:22:20Z")
- Notepad - Pico - Kate text editor ---
**Author:** ![Urban\_Ranger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Urban\_Ranger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urban_Ranger)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2003, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-programming-editors/157537/15 "2003-02-26T17:48:31Z")
Real men use _ed_. 😃 j/k emacs is very nice, probably unbeatable. ---
**Author:** ![BlackKnight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/eb8c5e/32.png) [@BlackKnight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlackKnight)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2003, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-programming-editors/157537/16 "2003-02-26T17:57:47Z")
Notepad Edlin (just kidding) ---
**Author:** ![lno](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a8b319/32.png) [@lno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lno)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2003, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-programming-editors/157537/17 "2003-02-26T18:26:37Z")
I prefer [TextPad](http://www.textpad.com), and have even done away with NotePad on the Windows machines I use in favor of TextPad. Of course, real programmers use punch cards, or crack open the front panel. ---
**Author:** ![UnwrittenNocturne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/6de8d8/32.png) [@UnwrittenNocturne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UnwrittenNocturne)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2003, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-programming-editors/157537/18 "2003-02-26T18:38:41Z")
Nah **real** programmers use pico - and code in binary 😃 ---
**Author:** ![ptr2void](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ptr2void/32/3406_2.png) [@ptr2void](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ptr2void)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2003, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-programming-editors/157537/19 "2003-02-26T18:43:17Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Finagle \* > \*\*Yes, but the downside of this is that Microsoft’s IDE does not have what anyone would consider a good programming editor. Its navigation abilites are rudimentary compared to an editor like vi, it has no ability to build macros for repetitive tasks, I don’t think it has multiple copy/paste buffers, and it is non-extensible. I was using more powerful editors in 1980. \*\* Oh, don’t get me wrong, I’m definitely _much_ happier in Emacs on \*nix. 🙂 However, looking at the .NET version, which I have: [ul] [li] [Macros](http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/vsintro7/html/vxoriAutomatingRepetitiveActions.asp) appear to be available. According to the link you could only do this previously with Visual C++. There is even an IDE for developing them within VS .NET.[/li][li] There is a [clipboard ring](http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/vsintro7/html/vxtskUnderstandingClipboardRing.asp), looks analogous to Emacs’ kill-ring.[/li][li] I think it’s very extensible though [add-ins (although again, I must admit I’ve never used this feature) and /or macros](http://www.codeguru.com/devstudio_macros/)[/li][li] There is an open-source add-in, [VisEmacs](http://www.atnetsend.net/computing/VisEmacs/), which makes Emacs the default text editor.[/li][li] [You can use vim in Visual Studio](http://vimdoc.sourceforge.net/cgi-bin/vimfaq2html3.pl#30.10)[/li][/ul] And for GUI development in Windows-land, which seems to be the gist of the OP’s request, I would have to say the IDE in Visual Studio is probably the gold standard. YM, of course, MV 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![SlowMindThinking](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@SlowMindThinking](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlowMindThinking)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2003, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-programming-editors/157537/20 "2003-02-26T18:58:30Z")
For my job, I use Visual [Studio.NET](http://Studio.NET) and Visual Studio 6. I like some features of both, and dislike some of both. (Like, what the heck happens to my class view when I debug C#?) I also use JBuilder 6. Not a heck of a difference between them. However, if I was programming in Java on a windows platform, and someone else wasn’t buying my IDE, I would check out eclipse. It gets rave reviews on some Java message boards. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-programming-editors/157537.md?page=2)