[Tutor] [Semi-OT] Yes or no on using a Graphical IDE?

[Wayne Werner]

On Sat, 15 Sep 2012, leam hall wrote:

> Hey all, not trying to contribute to the flames of one graphical IDE over
> another. I'm just trying to figure out if they are worth the learning curve? I
> have been doing most of my work in vi and the graphical IDE I'm supposed to use
> for a class keeps adding crap that I have to erase, and I have to move my hands
> to use the GUI parts instead of just typing.
>
> Is there a point in which a GUI IDE becomes more of a help than a hindrance?

If you really like vi, then probably not ;)

I do my Python coding in Vim with some plugins. I use IPython or 
BPython interpreters for quickly running code/examining modules. I search 
duckduckgo for "python somemodule.method" to get docs/helpful examples for 
what I'm looking for.

The only IDE I've seen that seemed like it could be worth it to me is 
WingIDE - because it does offer vim keybindings, and a lot of Python 
specific goodies. But I don't feel like laying down that chunk of change 
since I don't code Python professionally.

The biggest thing that I'm trying to train myself to do now is `import 
pdb` and `pdb.set_trace()` instead of `print(value_im_interested_in)`. 
I've thought about setting up a vim keybinding for F9 to insert a 
pdb.set_trace() line where I'm at... or do some fancy things involving 
other files and :make. But I haven't quite hit that point of frustration 
yet ;)

I write .NET code at work (sadly), so it might be telling that even with 
the ViEmu plugin for Visual Studio, I actually prefer programming in 
Vim (using :make), with ctags, and grep, to using Visual Studio...

Of course YMMV.
-HTH,
Wayne