Comments on: Too Busy Bailing to Plug the Leak http://blog.slickedit.com/2008/10/too-busy-bailing-to-plug-the-leak/ "Hello World" - The SlickEdit Developer Blog Wed, 08 Feb 2012 10:18:34 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Scott G. http://blog.slickedit.com/2008/10/too-busy-bailing-to-plug-the-leak/comment-page-1/#comment-545 Scott G. Thu, 30 Oct 2008 11:37:47 +0000 http://blog.slickedit.com/?p=250#comment-545 Sometimes we are forced to "adhere" to an ineffective tool by our organization or management. Where we can choose a tool individually, we often don't know whether another tool is better until we've learned it, and the question is whether to invest the time and effort to try it out. The biggest problem to getting into the habit of using a new tool is frequency. If it's something I do only once a week then it's likely I'll stick to what I'm already using (obviously I'd try to automate the task). But new tools are not all they're cracked up to be. I default to using Vim -- I've tried emacs and others, but none comes close to Vim for me. It is ubiquitous on unix systems (I can get by with vanilla vi if needed), and it is extensible. I will use another editor when it fits a particular environment -- for example, I'll use Xcode for Mac development, or ActiveState's ActiveTcl Pro Studio when working with Tcl. But I see no point in using TextMate or BBEdit or any other graphical editor unless there is a compelling case to do so (I have tried those two, and others. They haven't "stuck"). New is rarely better. The best tool I ever invested in was a dvorak layout keyboard (Northgate) back in 1992 (now obviously using key mapping). I'm not sure if I've changed or if the environment we live in today is different, but had I not learned dvorak back then, I doubt I would do so now. /s. Sometimes we are forced to “adhere” to an ineffective tool by our organization or management. Where we can choose a tool individually, we often don’t know whether another tool is better until we’ve learned it, and the question is whether to invest the time and effort to try it out.

The biggest problem to getting into the habit of using a new tool is frequency. If it’s something I do only once a week then it’s likely I’ll stick to what I’m already using (obviously I’d try to automate the task).

But new tools are not all they’re cracked up to be. I default to using Vim — I’ve tried emacs and others, but none comes close to Vim for me. It is ubiquitous on unix systems (I can get by with vanilla vi if needed), and it is extensible. I will use another editor when it fits a particular environment — for example, I’ll use Xcode for Mac development, or ActiveState’s ActiveTcl Pro Studio when working with Tcl. But I see no point in using TextMate or BBEdit or any other graphical editor unless there is a compelling case to do so (I have tried those two, and others. They haven’t “stuck”).

New is rarely better. The best tool I ever invested in was a dvorak layout keyboard (Northgate) back in 1992 (now obviously using key mapping). I’m not sure if I’ve changed or if the environment we live in today is different, but had I not learned dvorak back then, I doubt I would do so now.

/s.

]]> By: Fred Blasdel http://blog.slickedit.com/2008/10/too-busy-bailing-to-plug-the-leak/comment-page-1/#comment-544 Fred Blasdel Thu, 30 Oct 2008 10:23:12 +0000 http://blog.slickedit.com/?p=250#comment-544 Hey, don't beat up on old vi users — they're productive and they're never going to buy your text editor :) Pursue the idiots using Notepad, or worse: Microsoft Word! Hey, don’t beat up on old vi users — they’re productive and they’re never going to buy your text editor :)

Pursue the idiots using Notepad, or worse: Microsoft Word!

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