View Full Version : Best FREE text editor?
rand0m3r
2006-11-10, 22:11
hi. i'm looking for a text editor on mac os x that has syntax highlighting for languages like C, C++, java, PHP, postgresSQL, LaTeX.
i heard textmate and bbedit are good editors, but it surprised me to find that not only did they cost money, but they were pricey. i would never pay that much for a text editor.
i'm not after spectacular features, just an equivalent to kate on linux. or is there kate for OS X too? thanks.
I use SubEthaEdit. But I haven't heard anything from them in ages. I should check if they are still around.
SEE is the way to go...
Also the Xcode editor is pretty good and is completely free from Apple.. It does not cover all of the languages you mention.. But most of the traditional programming ones.
rollercoaster375
2006-11-10, 22:30
$50 is not that much. It's worth every penny.
SubEthaEdit perhaps?
I use SubEthaEdit.
SEE is the way to go...
Not free, not free, not free.
That simple qualifier is in the very subject line of the thread, folks. :p
rollercoaster375
2006-11-10, 22:33
Not free, not free, not free.
That simple qualifier is in the very subject line of the thread, folks. :p
http://www.codingmonkeys.de/subethaedit/old.html
PKIDelirium
2006-11-10, 22:41
http://tacosw.com/main.php
SubEthaEdit 2.2 is a good one. I also know of one called TextWrangler. Not sure if it's any good, but I know it's free and it's made by the same company that does BBEdit.
I use textwrangler, xcode, and jedit.
Used to be free. :p At least my version is.
Thanks for the update warning...
hi. i'm looking for a text editor on mac os x that has syntax highlighting for languages like C, C++, java, PHP, postgresSQL, LaTeX.
i heard textmate and bbedit are good editors, but it surprised me to find that not only did they cost money, but they were pricey. i would never pay that much for a text editor.
No offense, but you're going to develop software in multiple languages, yet can't afford the $35 for SubEthaEdit or the $49 for TextMate?
As a developer, you do know how much effort it takes to create a solid app.
No offense, but you're going to develop software in multiple languages, yet can't afford the $35 for SubEthaEdit or the $49 for TextMate?
As a developer, you do know how much effort it takes to create a solid app.
From the looks of the first post, this person may be coming from a Linux background, where virtually everything is free.
That said, I agree with chucker. Developers of quality software deserve some remuneration.
Not only that, but you owe it yourself to get solid and quality tools, and frankly, TextMate stomps anything I've used on the free side of the fence. Worth every cent.
If you're serious about development, get proper tools.
I personally use TextWrangler, and it meets all of my needs. But all I do is php/css. Very happy with it.
rand0m3r
2006-11-11, 03:04
i'm a uni student. i don't think i need all the bells & whistles that textmate offers. and i don't like the idea of paying for a license to use a text editor.
TextMate is shareware, you know. You can download and try it for a month to decide if it's worth the money.
rand0m3r
2006-11-11, 03:38
yeah i know, but 39 pounds is just outrageous for a text editor... i mean, the license to use a text editor.
Fahrenheit
2006-11-11, 03:43
Taco!
FYI, one of the most popular text editors (before TextMate stole all its customers for being cheaper and better) was BBEdit, which costs over $100. Many people still swear by it, but its heyday was in the 90s.
If you keep your ear to the ground, virtually all of the text editors out there offer free versions, or 'lite' versions, at various times.. Personally I would rather have the tools I want now, and for them to be fully functional.. So I always buy commercial software when my dev work depends on it..
I use betas, 'lite' versions and free trials when I am curious..
I would gladly pay for SEE, but have always ended up with free versions... The serial I was given legitimately for the old SEE free giveaway works just fine with the newer versions too... :cancer:
i'm a uni student. i don't think i need all the bells & whistles that textmate offers. and i don't like the idea of paying for a license to use a text editor.
Whatever, use vim or emacs or some such.
I don't get your argument at all, let alone how the fact that you're a student factors in (heck, e-mail Allan and ask for an education discount…). You claim knowledge in C, C++, java, PHP, postgresSQL, LaTeX. Surely you could whip together some shareware for, say, $10. Now all you need is five sales and you already have all the money from the TextMate purchase back, plus another dollar.
This is a productivity software. It costs you money at first, but then it makes you money.
Since SubEthaEdit became pay-ware, I switched to Text Wrangler (http://www.barebones.com/products/textwrangler/) (on the Mac, I use Kate on Linux). Also, I totally understand not wanting to buy a text editor. It's a bloody text editor, not Photoshop.
My attitude towards those that don't want to pay for a good text editor, because "it's a bloody text editor", is the same as chuckers..
Use vi..
Or go and write your own, make it better, and make it open source..
Or stop whining..
Since SubEthaEdit became pay-ware, I switched to Text Wrangler (http://www.barebones.com/products/textwrangler/) (on the Mac, I use Kate on Linux). Also, I totally understand not wanting to buy a text editor. It's a bloody text editor, not Photoshop.
"It's a bloody image editor, not TextMate."
Oh, I hear you say: it's much more than that. So is TextMate. And, after all, Photoshop costs about ten times the price as TextMate does.
If someone decides a price tag is not worth it, that's their call to make. But to argue that, in general, paying money for a text editor is unwarranted, is an attitude I completely fail to understand.
This thread is ridiculous.
A guy from Linux background comes in asking for a good free text editor. Whatever happened to Vim and Emacs?
I use vim and gvim, but if I want a OS X GUI integrated editor someday, I'll buy TextMate.
If you do just one hour of programming and other text editing a day, that's over 300 hours a year. Even if you had to pay the editor's price yearly to use it, the cost would still be just 10c/hour. What's one hour of programming work worth? $10? Even if the editor only makes you a tiny 1% more efficient, it has paid its price back in one year. That's ignoring the subjective aspect, how much nicer it is to work with good tools, and how that reflects on your overall wellbeing. And how you can use the same license for ten years if you want to.
Ridiculous.
PKIDelirium
2006-11-11, 11:02
Taco!
Taco rocks.
I wish EditPlus was available on Mac. It's not free, but it's totally awesome.
This thread is ridiculous.
A guy from Linux background comes in asking for a good free text editor. Whatever happened to Vim and Emacs?
I use vim and gvim, but if I want a OS X GUI integrated editor someday, I'll buy TextMate.
If you do just one hour of programming and other text editing a day, that's over 300 hours a year. Even if you had to pay the editor's price yearly to use it, the cost would still be just 10c/hour. What's one hour of programming work worth? $10? Even if the editor only makes you a tiny 1% more efficient, it has paid its price back in one year. That's ignoring the subjective aspect, how much nicer it is to work with good tools, and how that reflects on your overall wellbeing. And how you can use the same license for ten years if you want to.
Ridiculous.
I believe this is a good place to note that TextMate 2.0 will be a free upgrade (http://macromates.com/blog/archives/2006/11/09/20-will-require-leopard/) (assuming you have Leopard).
Good lord, did I just break off an OS-upgrades-too-expensive debate? :| ;)
rand0m3r, if you're that dead set against spending any money on a code development environment, then just go use vim.
If you're really desperate for a GUI, use Xemacs.
Boom, done, basic text editing at your finger tips for free.
What was the problem again?
Look, you may think we're being harsh on you, but this is a silly thread, Koodari is right. You can spend a *small* amount of money on a top-notch tool, or you can spend nothing on mediocre crap. That's the choice you have in front of you. If you're serious about coding, serious about making a career out of it, then is 39 pounds outrageous for an investment in your future? If so, you need to find another career, and fast, because this is just a hobby for you, and always will be.
As I said earlier in the thread also, but may have got missed....
Xcode has a good editor, and is free...
Heck, since you mentioned Kate, you could try the experimental Mac version of KDE (http://ranger.users.finkproject.org/kde/index.php/Home).
As I said earlier in the thread also, but may have got missed....
Xcode has a good editor, and is free...
Gets a lot better in Leopard (Xcode 3.0), but currently, it pales compared to TextMate, BBEdit, and SubEthaEdit. (Although, in its defense, it does have split view, which TextMate sadly still lacks.)
Fahrenheit
2006-11-11, 12:52
http://www.softdoc.es/guia_madrid/comer/imagenes/taco.jpg
mmm.
What you need to understand, rand0m3r, is this:
On Linux, people expect everything to be free.
On Windows, people expect everything to cost money. Then they pirate it.
On Mac OS X, people expect most good things cost money, and pay.
If I was you I'd use vi. It rocks. Is free. Does syntax highlighting. Everything you need. Even has a GUI.
Good point Yonzie (*WHY* do I keep typing that as Yontzie?)... The Mac has the core free tools from the OSS world, and some kick-ass inexpensive tools of its own. Folks on this platform are much more willing to open their wallets for a quality tool, like TextMate or SubEthaEdit, when they're ready to step up to another level.
I bounce between TextMate and vi pretty regularly - vi for down and dirty quick fixes, TM for large-scale project management and bug fixes. (TM's projects are light-weight enough that I use them for task management, ala Mylar in Eclipse - make a project for a specific bug you're fixing - toss files (source, docs, doesn't matter) into it as they become interesting. Group if necessary. Keep your notes for that bug in there, the patch description, etc. Save it by bugzilla bug # - when you need to reference it, it's always available.)
Of course, now I'm being forced into using the abomination that is Eclipse... is it too much to ask for a user interface, not an inyerface??
I think Farenheit is hungry or something though... what's that? You want a burrito? The whole enchilada? :)
is it too much to ask for a user interface, not an inyerface??
:D
QOTD.
Of course, now I'm being force into the abomination that is Eclipse... is it too much to ask for a user interface, not an inyerface??I have been working on Eclipse and Subversion from the end of the summer. I have to say compared to everything I've used before it feels like recreational diving in a tar pit. Nothing wrong with Subversion as such, or the svn command line, but I tried to use svn through the Eclipse subcilpse plugin from the start. I couldn't figure things out, so at some point just dropped everything, and learned the svn command line which felt clear and friendly in relation. After that I had more understanding about subclipse as well, but I find it doesn't feel helpful, it's more like you have to first think what you'd do from the command line, and then fight the plugin to death in a pit of scorpions to get it to do the same.
The project as it was dropped to my lap uses Eclipse to edit and build, svn for storage. We got the project with basically no connection to the last people who worked on it, and they were also more math than software engineering, so we are missing most of the elements of a healthy project. I hadn't ever used Eclipse, hadn't ever used svn and hadn't coded Java or used Windows in a couple years, so it was a bit daunting to step in this as the most "coder" guy of the bunch. If I was actually responsible for success here then I would be mighty stressed. :)
Lately I have been researching to figure out how to set up an automated, headless build with Eclipse to enable unit testing, easy deployment and such. I haven't yet found accessible material on how to do with this. Moving to Ant maybe? Then the other guys would need to deal with one more tool, while they are now happily working with Eclipse, and I don't know how well Eclipse integrates with Ant.
I'm going out of the project soon, so it doesn't make sense to switch my personal tools at this point, but making the project better for everyone would be good.
What's forcing you in Eclipse Kickaha?
What's forcing you in Eclipse Kickaha?
Moved to a new project at work, Eclipse is the IDE they use. I love the functionality of Eclipse, in theory, but the interface is *horrible*, plain and simple. An utter mishmash, features are either meaninglessly littering the toolbars or completely hidden away in contextual menus. There's no way, short of reading the documentation (which is always badly out of date and usually just wrong), to even know what the various plugins can *do*. The views and panes all assume a full-screen workflow, and I'm sorry, but the last time I had to *manually configure the memory needs of an application* were back in fricking *OS 9*. Asinine.
In short, it's the worst of Windows and Linux UI, merged with a braindead runtime environment.
And this is supposed to be the hot new thing. God help us all. Welcome to Win95, boys and girls.
Hmm.. how is building organized in your project? I could really use hints about the tools involved, etc. It's hard when you don't know where to start, and google searches invariably turn up something useless about Eclipse plugins. It's like everyone was so focused on building more Eclipse, they don't have time to build something useful. Eclipse help isn't helpful on this.
eclipse.org:
"Eclipse is an open source community whose projects are focused on building an open development platform comprised of extensible frameworks, tools and runtimes for building, deploying and managing software across the lifecycle"
What, where, is the open source project that with a little stretching would not fit this description?
A powerful, extensible IDE I understand, but they're going for a framework for building software which just happens to be able to used as an IDE through the use of various plugins. I don't understand what their focus is. What kind of software? And if not a specific kind, isn't Java for instance trying to be this already?
Besides we already have a general software framework which just happens to double as a text editor under the name Emacs. ;)
rand0m3r
2006-11-11, 20:49
i'm a uni student with a rigorous schedule, that does not allow me to work part-time. i've been saving up for this 2nd gen macbook for ages and can finally afford it. it'll be my first mac, which is why i've come and asked for what free text editors ppl use. i didn't expect this sort of response from a lot of you.
i'm not sure if i mentioned it in my initial post, but i wasn't after something that had all these bells and whistles. i like to be in control of the things i do, and i think features like auto-completion will just make me lazier and not learn the language properly. but i want something that loads up in a flash, and provides me with syntax highlighting for the languages i use.
thx to those that made suggestions, SEE 2.2 might be what i'm after. if not, i'll try text wrangler or go back to some other linux editors.
p.s. don't make assumptions about ppl coming from linux. we're not all Emacs fans. Vim isn't bad but i wanted a cocoa application (not sure if Vim on mac is exactly that).
rand0m3r
2006-11-11, 20:52
oh one more thing. i don't think 39 pounds is cheap at all. when i convert it to australian dollars, it's around $115. i can think of so many commercial software that costs less than that, and plus you get the box, cd, and everything. 39 pounds is definitely pricey for a license to use a text editor.
and no i don't get paid to do uni assignments.
oh one more thing. i don't think 39 pounds is cheap at all. when i convert it to australian dollars, it's around $115. i can think of so many commercial software that costs less than that, and plus you get the box, cd, and everything. 39 pounds is definitely pricey for a license to use a text editor.
and no i don't get paid to do uni assignments.
I don't know where you get the 39 pounds from anyway. Presumably, you mean TextMate, which is 39 Euros, which is 75 New Zealand dollars.
In any case, the point is moot; you want a gratis editor, and several have been mentioned — Taco, TextWrangler, the old SubEthaEdit, etc.
i think features like auto-completion will just make me lazier and not learn the language properly.
The computer is a tool. Making things easier for the user is the entire point of the device to begin with. I don't think it'll make you lazier at all; rather, it will make you focus on the more important, less repetitive tasks. :)
I'd throw in a vote for the old SEE, it's what I used before making the move to TextMate. And really, take a look at TM some time - it's been called 'emacs for macs' and that's really about dead on - they wrote a text editing framework, not a text editor, and the community has taken off with extending it in all sorts of neat ways. The core alone may not be worth 39pounds, but the full environment definitely is. It's a geek's wet dream.
Sorry if this wasn't the reception you were expecting, we've had a revolving door of ex-Linux folks coming in here and demanding to know where the free apps are - when we point out that the best-in-class are a) not free, and b) worth the extra, hilarity ensues.
If you're just plain broke, then SEE is a really good choice.
rand0m3r
2006-11-11, 23:37
ok my bad, so it's euros and not the english pound. that is still 65 AUD. maybe i'll have to give the trial a good use before i conclude it's not worth the money.
a lot of uni examinations include code, and when i have an IDE or advanced editor that is doing stuff like filling in the headers of each file and other stuff, i could forget the basics. that's why i like simple text editors that give me a plain sheet and offer little assistance besides syntax highlighting and perhaps auto-indenting.
i also like clean interfaces. i looked at a screenshot of jEdit and thought it was quite cluttered and simply not pleasant to the eye.
anyhow i'll probably come back in a month and tell you my initial thoughts on the various editors from a newish-developer's perspective.
p.s. just wondering, what sort of features do you guys frequently use anyway?
I hear you on the clean interface - it's one of the reasons I *like* TextMate - it's just a text window. :) (But oh, the powah... the powah...)
I also respect your desire to want to learn what's going on at a very detailed level, that will get you far... but never let that get in the way of getting your work done. Use every *useful* tool at your disposal, and you'll do great. What I've found is that tools like auto-completion are great for two things - initial discovery of what API is available, and after you have the API under your belt, making using it faster. There will be a time period in between where you'll want to drill your fingers and neurons in the full gooey goodness, but you'll get tired of it soon enough.
I find auto-completion of my own definable idioms, and easy logical grouping of documents to be the most useful (and rare) tools. Syntax highlighting, code folding, etc, are all pretty standard nowadays, but those two make me much more productive.
rand0m3r
2006-11-12, 01:19
is code-folding when it hides a block of code from a function so you only see its interface? i like that feature on kate, hope it's in SSE and others.
I know Eclipse does code folding (annoyingly by default for import statements), dunno about SEE/others.
No, SubEthaEdit does not do code folding. :\
I just remembered another free text editor worth investigating, though: Smultron (http://smultron.sourceforge.net/)
I strongly dislike Smultron's default settings, but after tinkering with the preferences for a few minutes, it's not bad at all. It actually has some nifty features like full-screen mode and an interface that can execute shell commands.
I'll throw in a vote for TextMate, because it does fucking everything and is a dream to use. I plan on buying a license as soon as the trial expires. Hell, I use it to post to my blog, because it has syntax coloring and preview mode for Markdown. It just does everything, and is worth every cent.
That said, I used to use SEE. It doesn't do as much as TextMate, and the collaborative stuff doesn't do much for me, which is why I switched over. I own a license so if I ever need its collaborative features, I have them. But for everyday coding (which for me, is XHTML, XML, CSS, and PHP), TextMate FTW.
As far as free? TextWrangler. It has syntax coloring and such, but I find it's interface to be pretty painful. Never used Taco but I've heard good things.
And I also second what chucker is saying: if it increases your productivity, 39 euros is pretty cheap. And Yonzie, what a great way to sum it up.
Fahrenheit
2006-11-12, 17:18
I think Farenheit is hungry or something though... what's that? You want a burrito? The whole enchilada? :)
Taco! :D
http://tacosw.com/htmledit/screenshots/livepreview.jpg
Simple, effective, goodish looking, free.
Its a text editor people, not a flight simulator.
rand0m3r
2006-11-13, 03:25
a question about textmate. you pay for a license. after one year, does it still work or does it become deactivated?
Still works. It's not a rental. Upgrades may cost though, if you want them.
a question about textmate. you pay for a license. after one year, does it still work or does it become deactivated?
Where did you get the idea that it's a temporary license? I don't know of any Mac software that works on that principle. :confused:
rand0m3r
2006-11-13, 08:32
i don't know i just read somewhere that said "one-year" license. so i thought maybe the software expired after that time. or maybe the "one-year" is referring to the upgrades you're entitled to.
Nope. In fact, bucking the trend, they're making the 2.0 release free for current license holders. Sweet.
I'd make a point in contention with some of the previous posters... TextMate doesn't have a lot of features. It has a lot of *plugins*. TM itself is a night tight little editor with good tools, but in creating a solid bundle (plugin) system, they really let people take off with it. By choosing which bundles you want, you can customize the toolset to precisely what you need, and nothing more... and none of it gets in your face.
</soapbox>
TextMate doesn't have a lot of features. It has a lot of *plugins*. TM itself is a night tight little editor with good tools, but in creating a solid bundle (plugin) system, they really let people take off with it.
So, basically, TextMate is the Firefox of text editors, but without the ugly! :D
I like to think of it more like 'Emacs for Macs', but y'know, with 100% more usability and 90% less attitude. :D
shatteringglass
2006-11-14, 18:38
So, basically, TextMate is the Firefox of text editors, but without the ugly! :D
Pretty much! :lol:
I'd throw in a vote for the old SEE, it's what I used before making the move to TextMate. And really, take a look at TM some time - it's been called 'emacs for macs' and that's really about dead on - they wrote a text editing framework, not a text editor, and the community has taken off with extending it in all sorts of neat ways. The core alone may not be worth 39pounds, but the full environment definitely is. It's a geek's wet dream.
Sorry if this wasn't the reception you were expecting, we've had a revolving door of ex-Linux folks coming in here and demanding to know where the free apps are - when we point out that the best-in-class are a) not free, and b) worth the extra, hilarity ensues.
If you're just plain broke, then SEE is a really good choice.
What are some of the benefits of this? I've never used a text editor to write code. I've only used Visual Studios and Netbeans at our school.
rand0m3r
2006-12-05, 09:05
ok after using my macbook for about a wk or so, i can see why you all rate TextMate. in fact, i do too!
from a human computer interaction perspective, it is superior to the others, and especially old linux ones like emacs and Vi that have horrible key-bindings. mind you, vi is great when you want to do quick editing on the command-line.
however, i'm still feeling a bit reluctant to pay for TextMate. becoz really it's very much like Kate (which is completely free on linux).
What are some of the benefits of this? I've never used a text editor to write code. I've only used Visual Studios and Netbeans at our school.
I think it depends a lot on what language you're writing in. If you're writing for the Web, a text-based editor just makes more sense, in my opinion. I use SubEthaEdit for damn near everything, code-wise. I do all my PHP work in SEE, and I'll even use it for C++ when I'm in a hurry and I don't want to mess with XCode (damn 512 MB RAM, XCode is slow to launch for me).
ok after using my macbook for about a wk or so, i can see why you all rate TextMate. in fact, i do too!
from a human computer interaction perspective, it is superior to the others, and especially old linux ones like emacs and Vi that have horrible key-bindings. mind you, vi is great when you want to do quick editing on the command-line.
however, i'm still feeling a bit reluctant to pay for TextMate. becoz really it's very much like Kate (which is completely free on linux).
Understandable. :) FWIW, TextMate was the first shareware app I spent more than $15 on during my grad school days. It was one of those "OMG, this is worth every penny" moments, and I haven't regretted it. I'm still finding new tricks and tools in it, and it just keeps getting new features as time goes on.
from a human computer interaction perspective, it is superior to the others, and especially old linux ones like emacs and Vi that have horrible key-bindings. mind you, vi is great when you want to do quick editing on the command-line.I could understand criticizing vi(m) for lots of things like ease of use, but not keybindings. In fact, the keybindings are the real reason I use vim instead of something else.
Gargoyle
2006-12-11, 07:49
Don't forget you can also use textmate from the command line with the "mate" command. And it's smart enough to ask you for your password when you try to save a system file.
And once you learn the built in short cuts, and write a few of your own you'll be amazed. (One I wrote myself was the changing of the word "this" into "$this->", so simple yet so effective)
Don't forget you can also use textmate from the command line with the "mate" command. And it's smart enough to ask you for your password when you try to save a system file.
And once you learn the built in short cuts, and write a few of your own you'll be amazed. (One I wrote myself was the changing of the word "this" into "$this->", so simple yet so effective)
Yeah, I love the auto-completion of HTML, CSS, and PHP tags. I especially like how you can start writing a div, and it'll automagically make an ID tag for you, and highlight it, ready for you to fill it in.
You can do the command line thing with most text editors - see for SubEthaEdit, and I think BBEdit has one, too (bbe?).
MegaManXcalibur
2006-12-18, 03:19
I just thought I'd chime in here.
There are two main text editors I like to use for OS X, the first of which is Vim which is included with OS X. For those of you who do not know Vim is a command line text editor that has been around for ages on unix system and is very good although can be confusing to first time users.
The other one I like to use is Smultron which can be found here...
http://smultron.sourceforge.net/
Smultron is a free open source text editor aimed at developers. It handles the usual syntax highlighting which I assume is what you are mainly looking for. It also has some nice abilities such as jumping to functions in code.
alcimedes
2006-12-18, 03:27
I suppose it's too late now, but you could have picked up TextMate for $49 as part of the MacHeist bundle. That also included 9 other apps. for that $49 total, so pretty much a steal if you'll ever get real use out of two or more of them.
You guys actually use Vi, Emacs and Pico, etc? I tried all of these at school and just get too frustrated with them. We're developing in a Unix environment for C++, and it is just such a pain with the backspace key not working, and having to type all your commands instead of being able to just open a file with the mouse, etc. Very painful to use compared to an IDE like Netbeans or Geany.
I second eclipse. It's a great FREE multi-platform, multi-language development environment (and yes you can even use it for text editing :p ).
You guys actually use Vi, Emacs and Pico, etc. I tried all of these at school and just get too frustrated with them. We're developing in a Unix environment for C++, and it is just such a pain with the backspace key not working, and having to type all your commands instead of being able to just open a file with the mouse, etc. Very painful to use compared to an IDE like Netbeans or Geany.
Sounds like your termcap settings are hosed, if backspace isn't working at the command line. ksh by any chance?
You can't go wrong with TextMate. I paid for it, and I never pay for anything.
You can't go wrong with TextMate. I paid for it, and I never pay for anything.
TextMate is my secret lover. It does fucking everything. If you write a lot of code, its worth every cent, and then some.
leachboy
2007-02-28, 23:20
I edit a lot of LaTeX and html files, and do a bit of C programming, and I haven't found anything that comes anywhere near emacs in the areas of usability and features.
Wait... did you just use the words 'usability' and 'emacs' in the same sentence? :err: :)
I used emacs for years, but finally got tired of rebuilding my environment with the upgrades. The 19.12 -> 19.18 upgrade broke most of my tools, and the 19.18 -> 19.23 was the last straw.
Like so much legacy Unix apps, it had great functionality, as long as you were willing to baby it. I just got tired of the upkeep.
TextMate has been described (rightfully, I believe) as 'emacs for Macs'. Same level of functionality and extensibility, but... y'know... nice. It does remind me of using emacs for programming, but with even more usable widgets.
For LaTeX, you may want to check out TeXShop. Quick, easy, and well thought out, IMO. TextMate has better editing features, but weaker LaTeX integration, last I looked. Of course, one of the nice things about TextMate is the active and regular development of the extensions, so there's a good chance this has improved greatly in the past few months.
leachboy
2007-02-28, 23:47
I find emacs to be incredibly usable. I use the AUCTEX package, and while setting it up can be a bit of a chore, using it is incredibly efficient, and very easy to learn.
Another thing I like about emacs is that it is that it's exactly the same (in my experience, anyway) across all platforms.
Yeah, it is... assuming you have the same emacs version and packages installed on each platform. :) *shrug*
Like I said, I was an emacs junkie ("It's an editor! It's an OS! It's *both*!") for years, but finally just got tired of getting yanked around. (Oh, my Lisp fu was strong back then...) I think that, on MacOS X, TextMate is a better solution than emacs for the vast majority of people writing code and structured documents. It integrates very nicely with the other tools on the platform, and feels like a Mac app, while offering the functionality and extensibility I was used to under emacs. You might want to check it out, it's good stuff.
Unless for some reason you feel that strongly about dropping $50, TextMate is the way to go. I write PHP, XHTML, and CSS* all the time. I'm in the middle of learning Perl and Java. Needless to say I pretty much LIVE in the Terminal and TextMate these days.
* I actually use CSSEdit for CSS, but I know from experience thast TextMate does a fine job with CSS as well.
I have used SubEthaEdit for a long time. It is very useful for me.
My personal choice is jEdit (http://www.jedit.org/).
rand0m3r
2007-03-23, 04:55
I haven't found anything that comes anywhere near emacs in the areas of usability and features.
emacs and usability? i think not.
leachboy
2007-03-23, 10:25
emacs and usability? i think not.
Well, you're entitled to your opinion. I use emacs primarily to edit and compile LaTeX documents, and it is simple to use and extremely efficient.
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