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User of software A tries out software B, keeps using software A for most tasks, tries out plugins for software B to make it feel more like software A, eventuall

by pluma 8y ago

User of software A tries out software B, keeps using software A for most tasks, tries out plugins for software B to make it feel more like software A, eventually decides to drop software B again and return to software A full-time. Nothing particularly interesting. However worth emphasising: > VS Code is an excellent IDE and I would recommend any new software developer to use it. It's refreshing to see a take end like this. He acknowledges VS Code is a good IDE although he feels at home with emacs. This emphasises that he didn't stick with emacs because it is superior but because the cost of switching editors simply wasn't worth it to him. That said, this reads more like general tips for emacs users rather than a critique of VS Code. So the title is a bit misleading.

simooooo 8y ago
User throws popular tool in title for extra juice
akuji1993 8y ago
Yeah this doesn't really apply to anyone who hasn't used Emacs before. I rarely work with any keyboard shortcuts other than the usual ones, so I really don't think this will matter for the average user. Still good to see that the article pretty much acknowledges that fact.
- baldfat 8y ago
  I would say that most EMacs users agree that the default EMacs are the worst part of EMacs. I have a few friends that use VIM keybindings. I tried to use Spacemacs (EMacs with VIM keybindings) but then MSCode came out for Linux and I haven't looked back. I love VIM modes and keybindings but the worst to get a good workflow for each language was to much for me.
  - deleted 8y ago
    [deleted]
tangue 8y ago
This resonated with me because I'm switching back and forth between Emacs and VS Code and actually enjoyed VS Code (and I'm a bit tired of doing things the hard way). I'm considered as a die hard emacs user by friends so this was a bit surprising even to me, and I shared this article because I wanted to know if people on HN are switching too. (edit : grammar)
- Kagerjay 8y ago
  I use VScode as my main IDE, and have never tried emacs. But I've watched many videos on org-mode, emac setups, org-drill, over the years. One thing I've noticed is there are very few good emac videos tutorials out there, at least compare to VScode and any other IDE. Its a very powerful tool sure, if you memorize all the hotkeys and commands. But to get to that point requires a lot of memorization and practice, something I don't have the luxury of. Time spent familiarizing myself with a nice GUI interface like VScode to get the same job done is easier. I almost never cut corners when it comes to adopting tools. I always adopt the simplest tool first, usually this is things like pen+paper, stickynote pads, etc. If the simplest tool suffices for all my needs, I don't upgrade. I believe dumb tools are always better, there's less moving components and more rigidity/opinionation. Plus I can touch and feel it, etc. However, I will always constantly do research and A/B test new tools almost everyday, just to see whats out there. I think people honestly get too invested in their tools. A tool is a tool, nothing more nothing less. If someones first thought about you is "oh he's that emacs guy!", thats not a good thing. But I still understand that people have lived and grown up with emacs, and its been something they have nurtured their entire life. They've built optimized workflows for any situation, and memorized hundreds of tidbits for making things work fast. Jumping ship is like tossing away part of your identity, so its not an easy transition.
  - baseballdork 8y ago
    > I think people honestly get too invested in their tools. A tool is a tool, nothing more nothing less. If someones first thought about you is "oh he's that emacs guy!", thats not a good thing. Gonna have to disagree here, there are good tools and bad tools. This mindset of a tool is a tool is why my company still uses cmsynergy and why nobody writes code is MS word. Being thought of because you have proficiency in a tool is definitely not a bad thing, especially if it allows you to be more productive. Investment in a tool like emacs also typically isn't a bad thing because emacs can be found on just about any Linux PC in existence, same with vim.
grigjd3 8y ago
Trying to make one took behave like another is often a silly practice. If there was any design intention at all in a given tool, you'd just be wasting effort trying to sidestep that.
- nojvek 8y ago
  I don’t think many people get the fact that VSCode isn’t just a code editor. It does a lot more than just edit code. Language servers provide deep intellisense, refactoring, code lens, overviews etc. debug servers provide debugging functionality. Tons of plugins built on top of the extension points. Vscode itself is a light weight IDE with a bunch of extension points. Emacs, vim, sublime are mostly text editors. If that’s what you really want: edit code with a whole bunch of shortcuts use that. If you want a light weight IDE use vscode. Code editors are a subset of IDEs. Two different things.

by pluma 8y ago

simooooo 8y ago

User throws popular tool in title for extra juice

akuji1993 8y ago

Yeah this doesn't really apply to anyone who hasn't used Emacs before. I rarely work with any keyboard shortcuts other than the usual ones, so I really don't think this will matter for the average user. Still good to see that the article pretty much acknowledges that fact.

baldfat 8y ago
I would say that most EMacs users agree that the default EMacs are the worst part of EMacs. I have a few friends that use VIM keybindings. I tried to use Spacemacs (EMacs with VIM keybindings) but then MSCode came out for Linux and I haven't looked back. I love VIM modes and keybindings but the worst to get a good workflow for each language was to much for me.
- deleted 8y ago
  [deleted]

tangue 8y ago

This resonated with me because I'm switching back and forth between Emacs and VS Code and actually enjoyed VS Code (and I'm a bit tired of doing things the hard way). I'm considered as a die hard emacs user by friends so this was a bit surprising even to me, and I shared this article because I wanted to know if people on HN are switching too. (edit : grammar)

Kagerjay 8y ago
I use VScode as my main IDE, and have never tried emacs. But I've watched many videos on org-mode, emac setups, org-drill, over the years. One thing I've noticed is there are very few good emac videos tutorials out there, at least compare to VScode and any other IDE. Its a very powerful tool sure, if you memorize all the hotkeys and commands. But to get to that point requires a lot of memorization and practice, something I don't have the luxury of. Time spent familiarizing myself with a nice GUI interface like VScode to get the same job done is easier. I almost never cut corners when it comes to adopting tools. I always adopt the simplest tool first, usually this is things like pen+paper, stickynote pads, etc. If the simplest tool suffices for all my needs, I don't upgrade. I believe dumb tools are always better, there's less moving components and more rigidity/opinionation. Plus I can touch and feel it, etc. However, I will always constantly do research and A/B test new tools almost everyday, just to see whats out there. I think people honestly get too invested in their tools. A tool is a tool, nothing more nothing less. If someones first thought about you is "oh he's that emacs guy!", thats not a good thing. But I still understand that people have lived and grown up with emacs, and its been something they have nurtured their entire life. They've built optimized workflows for any situation, and memorized hundreds of tidbits for making things work fast. Jumping ship is like tossing away part of your identity, so its not an easy transition.
- baseballdork 8y ago
  > I think people honestly get too invested in their tools. A tool is a tool, nothing more nothing less. If someones first thought about you is "oh he's that emacs guy!", thats not a good thing. Gonna have to disagree here, there are good tools and bad tools. This mindset of a tool is a tool is why my company still uses cmsynergy and why nobody writes code is MS word. Being thought of because you have proficiency in a tool is definitely not a bad thing, especially if it allows you to be more productive. Investment in a tool like emacs also typically isn't a bad thing because emacs can be found on just about any Linux PC in existence, same with vim.

grigjd3 8y ago

Trying to make one took behave like another is often a silly practice. If there was any design intention at all in a given tool, you'd just be wasting effort trying to sidestep that.

nojvek 8y ago
I don’t think many people get the fact that VSCode isn’t just a code editor. It does a lot more than just edit code. Language servers provide deep intellisense, refactoring, code lens, overviews etc. debug servers provide debugging functionality. Tons of plugins built on top of the extension points. Vscode itself is a light weight IDE with a bunch of extension points. Emacs, vim, sublime are mostly text editors. If that’s what you really want: edit code with a whole bunch of shortcuts use that. If you want a light weight IDE use vscode. Code editors are a subset of IDEs. Two different things.