You raise a valid point if you're putting up a shelf. But if you're programming then you'll be at a disadvantage if you're not familiar with the tools at hand.

You raise a valid point if you're putting up a shelf. But if you're programming then you'll be at a disadvantage if you're not familiar with the tools at hand. Even a designer is going to suffer if they're made to use the Gimp when they're used to Photoshop, not because Gimp is or isn't a good tool but because the interaction is different. Switching from Lightroom to Aperture I've noticed substantial differences in my photography, and I'm not a very good photographer. I'm considering switching back to Lightroom - I'm sure Aperture's great, but the learning curve is harder than switching from Vim to Emacs.