

Who is the better coder, the one who hand codes or relies on the IDE help - elliptical


======
ColinWright
False dichotomy.

I've known coders who would be lost without using a sophisticated IDE and who
get stuff done, producing code that is clean, clear, easy to maintain, is well
documented, passes all tests, and is generally superb.

On the other hand I've known coders who write code in vim and who _also_ get
stuff done, producing code that is clean, clear, easy to maintain, is well
documented, passes all tests, and is generally superb.

The measure is in the work, not in the tools. The skills are not in how you
produce the code, but in the code you produce.

Having said that, the very best coders I know don't use complex IDEs. But
that's anecdote, not data.

~~~
elliptical
I asked someone to hand code. This guy was so used to Dreamweaver, that he
could not just remember certain code, like mysql query. But on the DMW, he was
fine, clicking away, getting stuffs done.

So the best coders are hand coders?

~~~
mooism2
No. The best coders are the coders who produce the best code.

~~~
elliptical
hmm...even if they cannot code or remember the syntax without the help of the
IDE?

~~~
mooism2
In that case it is their manager's responsibility to ensure they have access
to the IDE. The important thing is how effective the combination of programmer
+ hardware + software + other working conditions is. I don't see that
considering a coder in isolation is terribly useful.

~~~
elliptical
If it is the testing process for an interview then?

~~~
ColinWright
It's the interviewer's job to decide what they're testing for. Some developers
need an IDE - that does not make them bad developers.

An interviewer should ask

    
    
        How can we help you show us why
        you'd be good for this job?
    

Stupid tricks don't help you determine if someone can do a job. Tiny, trivial
programming tasks don't tell you if someone _can_ do the job, but can
(sometimes) tell you if someone _can't_ do the job.

Interviewing is hard, there are no short cuts. You need someone who is smart,
will get things done, can interact usefully with others, and adds value.
Sometimes using an IDE is the best way to accomplish that - why ignore someone
just because they don't work the way you do?

------
citizenkeys
IDE's tend to be used as a crutch. Every so-called developer I've ever met
that relied on an IDE spent more time goofing around with IDE features than
writing anything useful. And any code they produced ended up being junk that
barely worked.

The best coders I've ever known use a simple file structure as their IDE.
Those same coders tend to write all of their code in a plain text editor. Only
for personal preference, the best developers usually prefer a text editor with
syntax coloring and various matching/highlighting features.

~~~
elliptical
Correct..Using an IDE for coloring, matching, highlighting okay. But using an
IDE such as DreamWeaver and rely on its coding structure and when asked to
hand code, wonder what the syntax of the mysql query statement should be, is
not very welcoming. If this is the case, they cannot properly debug a code
written by someone.

what is your opinion?

~~~
citizenkeys
You either generally know the syntax of a particular programming language or
you don't. There's nothing wrong with looking up the details of a particular
function. Sometimes when I'm really busy, I find its easier to look up the
details of a function than change my mental focus or train of thought. When
that happens, I usually have a favorite book or website that details the
language. Also, you don't need a fancy IDE for syntax
coloring/matching/highlighting. A very simple text editor tends to be alot
faster and easier to use.

~~~
elliptical
That is sometimes, assuming the scenario for an interview.

