Using the right tool for the job

*falls off his chair laughing*

What can I say? Well said. I went for a web design job once and they said they use Notepad. I was tempted to say “You can tell just by looking at your code” but some things you just don’t say at interview.

I figure I didn’t get the job because I’m used to using the industry-standard web design programme - Dreamweaver… go figure?!

Dreamweaver is hardly the industry standard web design editor, its usage in creating websites isn’t even that high. I do believe being able to do the XHTML/CSS/JS/so on on your own without using a tool like Dreamweaver is important, but the bare minimum that is at all logical to use is gedit. It has the core basics that you must have (syntax highlighting, tab lineups, and so on)

I personally use eclipse + plugins for all my IDE needs. Eclipse is truly amazing.

I think CTerry has summed up all comments, you bastard.

Great minds think alike?

http://www.zefhemel.com/archives/2004/09/25/tools-tools-tools

Seems to be Zef! It’s just that my mind is slightly slower.

eek, one question that means WYSIWYG editors are like tools right? you dont need to code a bbcode if you have WYSIWYG?
*sorry for the off topic*

LOVE the new header Matt
My view:

Use whatever feels right for you, if you like different things then so be it, there is no “right” or “wrong” software to use…

A designer in a comfortable environment will perform best.

A designer in an unfamiliar environment will take time to adjust, if any adjustment can be made.. And you will not perform to your best..

It does depend alot on who you are and what exactly you do.

Notepad gives you more control (and far less bloat) than a WYSIWYG editor, and for that reason alone, it is still a very viable tool for web creation. I agree with the previous poster, however, that it depends on the individual as to which program will best suit their needs. If you’re incorporating XHTML/CSS/JS to your site, there may be programs that can handle the coding of such elements for you faster than having to hand-type it out. For basic HTML (which has remained largely unchanged for years and is really all the web STILL needs today), there is nothing wrong with Notepad at all. I personally prefer to work with someone that codes in such a way because it means they absolutely know what they’re doing, and not just “which buttons to push.”

There is nothing wrong with using Notepad. There is something wrong with people who insist on using it to the exclusion of other tools and claim it makes them a better coder.

Maybe they are to proud of themselve. Is a shame that there are people like that in the world.

How about these many people get off their high horses and try this
Notepad2
Its prety good, i use it for php work, has highlitghing and all sik features of notepad
Angus

i’m using notepad2 and it have some great features as Angus said, http://www.flos-freeware.ch/notepad2.html

I wonder if these programmers using NotePad type without any syntax errors; I need colour coding whenever I write in PHP, because I make to many mistakes.

Wait, what if you’re using a Mac or have a POSIX-like OS installed?

Matt uses a Mac MrsSim

You’re wrong, Matt. I find it perfectly fine to code in Notepad, and I still have the tools I would if I coded in some fancy pants, bloated resouce-intensive IDE (i.e. function calls.)

I just don’t need a special tray with holes shaped like the tools in them.

Nice cape.

notepad2 is the best.

i love your humour, matt.

Correct me if I’m wrong, but people who use notepad and boast about it are usually those that do simple scripts and html/css/js.. intermediate webmasters. You don’t see any advanced webdevelopers incharge of larger scale projects boasting they code everything in notepad. IDE is definitely the way to go.

OK, so maybe I’m a little late with this comment but whatever.

I agree with Matt that you’re not super-cool when you code with Notepad or something like it. Actually, I would recommend not using it.

However, I do understand why people would want to use it. It looks clean and uncluttered, making it more comfortable to work on a project with it.

Another however. I would recommend everyone who uses something like Notepad to try out alternatives, like NotepadLite (that’s what it’s called, right?) or Notepad2.

Third however! The best thing, really, to do is to get yourself an IDE. I myself am using the Zend Studio and at first, I felt it was too large and chunky for my needs, but after a while I got used to it’s useful features. Automatic variable completion (even throughout different classes, superb!), code completion, function hints and the more basic features like syntax highlighting are all in there and very useful.

Honestly, if you haven’t tried a good IDE, I recommend you to try out PHP Designer 2005 (www.mpsoftware.dk) or Zend Studio (www.zend.com) and work with it for a least a week. You will learn to love it after a while.

Of course, people don’t usually listen to my comments so I might be doing something utterly pointless right now…

Well, that was all I wanted to say. A goodday to you all