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IDEs, IDEs on the wall, which is the best of them all?

Published in

Better Programming

Mar 14, 2022

in ancient times, programming was a chore.
first open the text editor, type, close.
second, run the compiler, write compilation errors on paper.
then open text editor again, locate error code.

fortunately, programmers weren’t comfortable with the status quo.
they obsessed with writing better software to benefit others.
anders hejlsberg — bro, the programmers are too hard
philippe kahn — yeah, we gotta save them!

anders hejlsberg — well, i have a lighting fast pascal compiler
philippe kahn — i have a useful editor here

anders hejlsberg — what are you waiting for? our software is revolutionary.
philippe kahn — click the compile error to find the position of the code. Let’s call it TurboPascal.

Later TurboPascal was officially launched in 1983. Programmers flocked, selling 250,000 copies in two years.

anders hejlsberg and philippe kahn talking
philippe kahn — I didn’t expect TurboPascal to become so popular. Seems we can make persistent efforts and make a Turbo C!

Surprisingly, Turbo C was even more popular. Sold 100,000 copies in the first month.

Alan Cooper — It’S a GUI era, and you’re still using a text interface like Turbo C and Turbo Pascal? Outdated! Check out my new IDE: Visual Basic. Apps can be made by dragging and dropping controls.

Visual C++ — Basic language is old fashioned; it’s C++ era! I come with an easy to understand MFC that can quickly develop C++ desktop programs and run 10 times faster than your VB!

VB — calm down, bro. we’re from the same company. our enemies are Turbo Pascal and Turbo C.
Visual C++ — Oh, yes!
They’re holding hands.

VB and Visual C++ kick out the Turbos.

anders hejlsberg — bro, the Turbos have been beaten badly by those other IDEs. We can’t sit back and do nothing.

philippe kahn — we have to upgrade Pascale to Object Pascal. It will have its own VCL components that can quickly develop GUI programs and become the VB terminator. Why not name it Delphi?

Delphi is the VB killer.

Delphi and C++ builder talking.
C++ builder — You’re the VB killer, and I’m the VC++ killer. Let’s fight Microsoft. We can work well together. Bring your VCL, and let me use it.

Borland and Microsoft’s IDE war kicks off

Netbeans and Java holding hands.
Java — what are they doing? Don’ they know Java will become the master of the Internet age?
Netbeans — yes, i’m the best ide for writing Java.

C++ builder, Delphi, Visual C++, and VB put down their weapons.
Visual C++ — there’s no point playing like this.
Delphi — C++ builder, we have to hurry back to base camp and call our Java brothers to fight!

Soon, Microsoft launched VJ++, Borland launced JBuilder.

JBuilder — Java bro, come here. My IDE is written in pure Java, and my gui is developed in swing.

Java — better than netbeans?

jbuilder- look at my features. i support various development such as applet, jsp, ,servlet, awt/swing, etc. and i can integrate with tomcat, websphere, weblogic, jboss, etc.

visual j++ — that’s not a big deal. java bro, i can compile your Java code into an .exe on Windows.

Java- What? doesn’t this violate my write once, run anywhere guidelines? i will ask my dad Sun to sue you!

As the battle worsened, Microsoft made an unexpected decision to stand out.

Visual c++ talking to visual interdev, visual j++, and vb — we’re all in the same company. we can’t fight on our owon. let’s work together.
They agree.

Visual Studio “the first IDE in the universe” was officially born

in another corner of the world, IBM sees a thriving java market

ibm ceo: louis v. gerstner = time to switch to java and launch an e-commerce strategy. all kinds of software will transition to java.

erich gamma — i heard we are building java ide? we can’t use swing. it sucks. let’s develop a new set of ui components: swt. and it must be open source.

eclipse was born. free, open source, extensible, and has a plugin system. other java ides have almost no power to fight back.

ibm — take a look at our rad — rational applciation developer, wid, websphere integration developer, developed in eclipse. very powerful, and they have our ibm technical support. much better than open source

eclipse ruled. when it say intellij idea, it didn’t take it seriously.

xcode poured cold water on eclipse.

xcdode — it’s the mobile age. eclipse dude, can you develop apps?

eclipse — easy, just install an androd plugin. look at my android dev tools!
xcode — don’t you know it yet? google developed android stuido based on intellij idea and abandoned you

xcode and android studio leave eclipse behind

intellij to eclipse — you underestimated me? are you afraid now.
eclipse is.

erich gamma — i have been working on ides for smalltalk, c++, and java before. time to change my taste. try javascript and play with monaco, an online editor.

gamma — monaco is packaged to a desktop called vscode, which supports multiple programming languages. simple, smooth, and coming quickly.
people want it.

two guys are watching this happening silently…

vi and emacs.
vi- emacs, tell me. aren’t they all rubbish? we are the best!

emacs — the two of us? i’m the best!

vi and emacs fighting!

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Programming Languages

Published in Better Programming

Last published Nov 10, 2023

Advice for programmers.

Written by Andy

Explain programming with stories

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