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I think part of it is that a lot of IDEs don't "feel" good. For example, Eclipse doesn't feel like a Mac app. Dragging tabs around works, but is ugly compared
by mdasen 15y ago
I think part of it is that a lot of IDEs don't "feel" good. For example, Eclipse doesn't feel like a Mac app. Dragging tabs around works, but is ugly compared to Chrome or similar; the icons used are more utilitarian rather than something someone put thought and care into; often times the advantages it provides for the Java language just aren't as good with scripting languages (less mature support for Python and Ruby, less of a need for an IDE for those languages, and less ability to provide good features since they aren't statically typed).
Sometimes you want every feature. Other times, you want something that might have fewer features, but might feel better. When the iPhone came out, it didn't have a keyboard, it didn't have 3G, etc. Yet, it just felt better - the size, the icons, the way you interacted with it. I think that editors like Sublime Text and TextMate really go for that feel.
Users seem to see Sublime Text or TextMate as just missing a feature or two while looking at Eclipse and finding that it has the features, but lacks the basic joy of interaction. They also feel that it would be easier to extend something like Sublime Text than to fix the feel of Eclipse. Personally, I'm starting to warm to Eclipse as I use it and I appreciate the features it brings to the table, but I don't ever think I'll see Eclipse as "feeling good" in the way that TextMate feels right.
- drivebyacct2 15y agoFunctionality vs appearance? I don't think it's fair to boil it down to such primitive comparisons, but in the end, I know which is more important to me on a day-to-day basis. (I say this as an extremely heavy user of both Eclipse (java, antlr, etc) and (G)Vim (python, scripts, go, etc). I can't believe this is a controversial or downvotable post, especially given the context of this article. The feel of tabs is relevant given the dozens of other niceties that Eclipse provides over TextMate? Really? Again, if you're seeking the features provided by an Eclipse/equivalent?
- deleted 15y ago[deleted]
- wladimir 15y agoUsers seem to see Sublime Text or TextMate as just missing a feature or two while looking at Eclipse and finding that it has the features, but lacks the basic joy of interaction I somehow have this problem with Eclipse too. I really love its features, especially for Java/Android development, but it sometimes handles like you're driving a truck. Even on a fast PC. So its not that much 'fun' to use for me. Qt Creator is one of the fow IDEs I positively like working with. It is fast, featureful and somehow doesn't get in my way like Eclipse does. The only drawback is that it's very Qt and C++-focused, so outside that area usefulness quickly dwindles. For the rest I like Sublime Text. ST somehow helps you stay focused on the text. It is very fast and feels smooth. Like other "simple" editors it opens very quickly so can be used for editing independent scripts and configuration as well as source code, and does not impose any kind of framework or project structure.
- SandB0x 15y agoQt Creator is definitely worth trying out for C++ coding. It has a good Vim mode and makes building (thanks to qmake) and debugging a breeze.
- jinushaun 15y agoAnother up vote for Eclipse not feeling right. I've been using Eclipse for years and it still feels wrong. A few years ago when I was doing heavy Flash Actionscript development, I always preferred the free Flash Develop IDE over Adobe's expensive official Flex Builder IDE, which was based on Eclipse. Price wasn't the issue. Flash Develop was simply better—much better. First on the list of why it's better is that FD just "felt right" which meant I was much more productive in FD than Eclipse. Features were easier to access than Eclipse, from keyboard shortcuts to menu options. Eclipse always feels clunky. Fast forward to today and my least favorite aspect of Android development is interacting with Eclipse.