An Ideal IDE is a thing of beauty, easing code development
The reality of using certain IDEs is an incredible rat's nest
My .NET experience with C++/C# vs. recent Netbeans/Eclipse experience with Scala, Lift, Python, & Google Application Engine
If you've used the older microsoft visual c++ IDE or the .NET express editions you're familiar with how fast you can go from installation to digging into the code. The experience has gradually improved over generations of the IDE and now setting up projects can done in short order. Functionality like "go to definition" and "code completion" are a joy to every programmer.
I foolishly expected my Netbeans and Eclipse installations to be just as smooth. And as long as your only developing in one of their default install languages they aren't bad. You may have to set some environment path variables in order to get up and running, a mild nuisance but no deal breaker. As soon you go off the beaten path by using something like scala, lift, or the Google App Engine (GAE) you're in for some hair pulling.
I've spent the past few nights struggling with learning the new friendfeed API v2. I very much enjoy the functionality and experience of using friendfeed and would greatly benefit from applying their authorization, social, and feed grabbing functions into a project I'm currently working. The folks at friendfeed have been very helpful (just found out the version of python I installed is too new) by giving pointers on setting up their sample project, which shows the API in action. Unfortunately none of them use IDEs internally and I think I'm starting to understand why. It's a serious ball buster trying to get the IDEs to work properly with the languages and software they use.
Mr. IDE builders, might I humbly request...
A simple to download and install IDE for web apps (have it automatically set the path and any needed libs with a single click install).
The state of setting up IDEs for web applications is a mess, and there's a great need for having a consistent, easy to install environment for building in all the web programming languages:
- java
- java ee
- php
- scala (+lift)
- python
- ruby (+ on rails)
- Google Application Engine
- C++/C#
- Groovy
- Haskell (thanks to gnuvince for catching my mind mangling of pascal and Haskell)
Why the added friction to entry?
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