While I understand the point of view, I mostly disagree with this article. I suppose that if you think that Java is horrible, you would say that a slick IDE that compiles and checks your code while you are typing is a band-aid on a gun-shot wound. My best personal counter example is the first "real" (and probably still the best) IDE that I used: Smalltalk. Its a beautiful and concise language, but without the IDE it wouldn't be Smalltalk (APL is another example of the language being intimately intertwined with the IDE).
Java is not such a language, but I can't imagine coding in it without an IDE like Eclipse. Let's suppose that there were similar Eclipse plug-ins for coding in Assembler: - It would not only checks syntax, but would interatively assemble as you type - macros would be looked up as you type; you would get code completion assistance for arguments/keywords - context-sensitive help for the 600 new instructions :-) - quickly navigate to all references to a symbol - maybe with a couple of keystrokes you could show the generated code, etc. Ideally, the IDE would on the surface seem look like PDF, since otherwise you would never get anyone to try it :-) Kirk Wolf Dovetailed Technologies http://dovetail.com On Tue, Oct 30, 2012 at 7:52 AM, McKown, John <[email protected] > wrote: > http://www.recursivity.com/blog/2012/10/28/ides-are-a-language-smell/ > > This person, a PC type, has come to the conclusion that "IDEs" exist due > to the horrible nature of the languages that they support (in his case > Java). That, with a properly designed language, a simple highlighting > editor (PDF editor to us, vim/emacs to him) is more than sufficient for > coding. > > The article is short, but I found it interesting because the Windows > people tend to denigrate us for the lack of IDEs on the mainframe. > > -- > John McKown > Systems Engineer IV > IT > > Administrative Services Group > > HealthMarkets(r) > > 9151 Boulevard 26 * N. Richland Hills * TX 76010 > (817) 255-3225 phone * > [email protected] * www.HealthMarkets.com > > Confidentiality Notice: This e-mail message may contain confidential or > proprietary information. If you are not the intended recipient, please > contact the sender by reply e-mail and destroy all copies of the original > message. HealthMarkets(r) is the brand name for products underwritten and > issued by the insurance subsidiaries of HealthMarkets, Inc. -The Chesapeake > Life Insurance Company(r), Mid-West National Life Insurance Company of > TennesseeSM and The MEGA Life and Health Insurance Company.SM > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, > send email to [email protected] with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to [email protected] with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
