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> i program in $LANG too and use these 37 plugins and 4 keymappings and it all Just Works I've been wondering if there is some analgory between programming edi
by dmix 4y ago
> i program in $LANG too and use these 37 plugins and 4 keymappings and it all Just Works
I've been wondering if there is some analgory between programming editors and armoured military vehicles.
The backend guys might need a full-on tank (Abrams/T90) - an IDE/hyper-custom vim. The front-end infantry might need a lighter weight but highly mobile IFV (Bradley/BMP) like VSCode/whatever.
It's possible the IFV/artillery SPG/etc vehicles can also be built on the body of a tank to "save money" and time. Modularity is important right? But it also creates frankensteins like the BMPT [1] which is an IFV built on top a widely available T-72 tank platform but costs 2-4x what a normal IFV/BMP costs [2] and lacks the benefits of either an IFV or main battle tank.
Ultimately it has little to do with the inherent generic capabilities of the base editor/platform. It's about designing the platform around a certain audience and skillset, then building a community around it's mission. Then iterating on that particular usecase.
I was a hardcore fan of Vim for the longest time but I've come around on VSCode as the essential default for frontend/Typescript development which I do. Sometimes extensions/plugins aren't enough. You need an editor built around an idea/community that fully embraces it. Much like programming languages.
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMPT_Terminator https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMPT_Terminator
[2] "Price of the BMPT is equivalent to two modern Russian main battle tanks." https://www.military-today.com/tanks/bmpt.htm https://www.military-today.com/tanks/bmpt.htm
- exikyut 4y agoWhat a fascinating combination of "analogy" and "allegory". This aside, I agree with your point - the best articulation I can think of right now is the human equivalent of "do what I mean not what I say". Where sometimes the collective intent gets stuck in an ideological rut and can't become what everyone wants it to be for lack of expression.
- matwood 4y agoThis is mostly how I work today. Intellij for Java backend work, VSCode for front end work. Both using VIM keybindings. And to your point, I couldn't imagine developing Java without Intellij. It's like they are made to work together.
- artificial 4y agoHave you tried Webstorm?
- matwood 4y agoI have Intellij Ultimate. It's just really heavy when I'm moving around a js project. Not against it though, some colleagues use Intellij for everything and seem happy.
- erksa 4y agoLearning VIM keybindings definitely have been one of the biggest productivity investments I've done across tools. And I rarely use vim. However, I love the vim community and how they port VIM bindings to almost any IDE(or most software that works with text and allows for some extensions). Same way to deal with text across OS/Machines and software feels very liberating.
- matwood 4y agoHah. Same! Every so often I try something like LunarVim and want to be a 'real' vim user, but end up back in my IDEs with vim keybindings instead.
- HelloNurse 4y agoI'd expect software to be more "stretchable" than armoured military vehicle designs. Hopefully, both the tank and the IFV can be Vim or Emacs or VS Code, and both can be good without compromises.