looking for advice on my IDE
Hello everybody,
Last semester I took my first c++ class.The professor made us use dev c++ as our main IDE. The reasons, he explicitly stated, were it's simplicity, reliability, and stability. Moreover, he strongly advised us against Microsoft's Visual Studio, arguing that, in some instances, it has a tendency to fix code by adding and changing things automatically for you. He pointed that creating a programming foundation using such a tool would cripple us and make us VS Dependant.
I believed it, and agreed 100% with him. However after recently learning some established programmers I respect use Visual Studio,I started to investigate if VS really is as bad as my professor made us believe. Not only I discovered that VS was very well established, but that dev c++ wasn't looked at with very good eyes, for a variety of reasons.
I would like to hear some knowledgeable opinions on whether my professor's allegations against Visual Studio are correct and what kind of IDE then, could be suitable for a C++ beginner.
Thank you.
Last semester I took my first c++ class.The professor made us use dev c++ as our main IDE. The reasons, he explicitly stated, were it's simplicity, reliability, and stability. Moreover, he strongly advised us against Microsoft's Visual Studio, arguing that, in some instances, it has a tendency to fix code by adding and changing things automatically for you. He pointed that creating a programming foundation using such a tool would cripple us and make us VS Dependant.
I believed it, and agreed 100% with him. However after recently learning some established programmers I respect use Visual Studio,I started to investigate if VS really is as bad as my professor made us believe. Not only I discovered that VS was very well established, but that dev c++ wasn't looked at with very good eyes, for a variety of reasons.
I would like to hear some knowledgeable opinions on whether my professor's allegations against Visual Studio are correct and what kind of IDE then, could be suitable for a C++ beginner.
Thank you.
closed account (Gz64jE8b)
I use Dev-C++ just because of the fact that it's simple and MSVC++ is quite daunting as a beginner.
If you have no need to use MSVC++ then don't bother, keep it simple.
If you have no need to use MSVC++ then don't bother, keep it simple.
Dev-C++ was an excellent IDE while it was still in development. It's a shame, really.
Visual Studio isn't an IDE that I consider dependency-forming, but it does have a lot of useful features. Its code completion is very good, and it has a great debugger. Fortunately, there are other IDEs that provide similar features (Code::Blocks, Netbeans, Eclipse CDT), if you want them.
I'd suggest moving away from Dev-C++. Switch to the still-being-updated wxDev-C++ if you have to stay in the Dev-C++ domain, but please don't use a piece of beta software that hasn't been touched in years and has hundreds of bugs (literally).
Suggested reading:
http://cplusplus.com/articles/36vU7k9E/
-Albatross
Visual Studio isn't an IDE that I consider dependency-forming, but it does have a lot of useful features. Its code completion is very good, and it has a great debugger. Fortunately, there are other IDEs that provide similar features (Code::Blocks, Netbeans, Eclipse CDT), if you want them.
I'd suggest moving away from Dev-C++. Switch to the still-being-updated wxDev-C++ if you have to stay in the Dev-C++ domain, but please don't use a piece of beta software that hasn't been touched in years and has hundreds of bugs (literally).
Suggested reading:
http://cplusplus.com/articles/36vU7k9E/
-Albatross
Last edited on
My first IDE was MinGW Developer Studio. It was simple and efficient and I think is the perfect IDE for a beginner.
Now, my IDE is Code::Blocks. I heard that the GNU compiler is more strong that MinGW's compiler. This IDE is good because it put on your hands more useful options that MinGW hasn't like opening 2 project in the same time or guessing the word you want to write (variables) and so on.
I said that MinGW is perfect for a beginner because is easy to use, he has an interface that is not spending your memory and he reminds you the functions definition. For instance if you write a name of a function, the IDE shows you the parameters of that function. The working with files is more...heavy but until you work with files you'll get C::B.
On the other hand, Dev C++ is fine. You can work at school with an IDE and at home with another IDE because that will give you more flexibility but you have to maintain the a line. I want to say that the code you write at school to can be compiled at home.
Visual Studio is good for experimenting in your free-time. Enjoy!
Now, my IDE is Code::Blocks. I heard that the GNU compiler is more strong that MinGW's compiler. This IDE is good because it put on your hands more useful options that MinGW hasn't like opening 2 project in the same time or guessing the word you want to write (variables) and so on.
I said that MinGW is perfect for a beginner because is easy to use, he has an interface that is not spending your memory and he reminds you the functions definition. For instance if you write a name of a function, the IDE shows you the parameters of that function. The working with files is more...heavy but until you work with files you'll get C::B.
On the other hand, Dev C++ is fine. You can work at school with an IDE and at home with another IDE because that will give you more flexibility but you have to maintain the a line. I want to say that the code you write at school to can be compiled at home.
Visual Studio is good for experimenting in your free-time. Enjoy!
I don't use any IDE this time. I just use Notepad2 for writing code, because I'm a beginner. I think I don't need IDE yet. Maybe, I will use an IDE if I work with "big" project someday.
this is only my opinion.
this is only my opinion.
Visual C++ doesn't form any "dependencies" as far as I can tell - what he could mean would be code completition, and I really can't say that THAT would be "crippling" anyone - in fact, code completition is an expected feature for modern IDE's. And it's not like it automagically fixes your code, it just does stuff like automatically completing identifier names, automatically close brackets etc.
In comparison, Dev-C++ does not provide the features you'd expect from a modern IDE and hasn't been updated in years. I personally am using the Eclipse C Development Tools (Eclipse CDT) right now, but I also have used Visual C++ and Code::Blocks in the past (and notepad xD).
The worst thing about DevC++ though is that it ships with a completely outdated version of MinGW (3.4 or something like that, the current one is 4.5.2).
In comparison, Dev-C++ does not provide the features you'd expect from a modern IDE and hasn't been updated in years. I personally am using the Eclipse C Development Tools (Eclipse CDT) right now, but I also have used Visual C++ and Code::Blocks in the past (and notepad xD).
The worst thing about DevC++ though is that it ships with a completely outdated version of MinGW (3.4 or something like that, the current one is 4.5.2).
I don't like VS, as I'm a somewhat beginner as well, and it's interface is too confusing. It might be useful if you knew the ins-and-outs of IDE's, but not for a beginner.
I use Code::Blocks, as it's very clean and quite similar to DEV-C++, but it's not abandonware.
I use Code::Blocks, as it's very clean and quite similar to DEV-C++, but it's not abandonware.
I can't stand professors who convey false information like that. Religious hobbyism is unprofessional.
If VS changed things without your knowledge, it would not be used by large sections of industry.
It can be argued that things like Dev-C++ and Quincy are nice for a beginner, because they can concentrate on learning the language, but more advanced IDEs aren't really that onerous to start with either -- you have the same learning curve either way.
It sounds like your professor has some anti-Microsoft in him.
If VS changed things without your knowledge, it would not be used by large sections of industry.
It can be argued that things like Dev-C++ and Quincy are nice for a beginner, because they can concentrate on learning the language, but more advanced IDEs aren't really that onerous to start with either -- you have the same learning curve either way.
It sounds like your professor has some anti-Microsoft in him.
@Duoas:
That's what I was (quietly) thinking, except that I didn't want to accuse his professor of being a religious prat without any further information.
@CosminNTG: MinGW's compiler toolchain is GCC. Remember: Minimuliast GNU for Windows.
@masrosid: Well, that's your decision. An IDE can help someone out a lot even at smaller scales by providing code-completion, error highlighting, etc.
@hanst99: Have you had any problems with Eclipse CDT and its C++ template parser? I'm asking because I have, but admittedly that was on OS X...
-Albatross
| It sounds like your professor has some anti-Microsoft in him. |
@CosminNTG: MinGW's compiler toolchain is GCC. Remember: Minimuliast GNU for Windows.
@masrosid: Well, that's your decision. An IDE can help someone out a lot even at smaller scales by providing code-completion, error highlighting, etc.
@hanst99: Have you had any problems with Eclipse CDT and its C++ template parser? I'm asking because I have, but admittedly that was on OS X...
-Albatross
Last edited on
| it has a tendency to fix code by adding and changing things automatically for you |
Sounds like this guy doesn't know the difference between an IDE and a Word® processing program.
Well thank you for your answers, that clears things up a bit. I'm sure if auto completion is the only thing VS adds to your code, then it's all fine. I always thought he meant at a compiler level. Like the compiler automatically adding a library if you type a certain function, or something more serious than just guessing your sentences. But now that I think about it, that would depend on the compiler and not the IDE itself.
In any case I have made my choice for now, wxDev-C++. That doesn't mean I won't try VS or other IDEs though. I'll be IDE humping as I hump from distro to distro in linux. But for now wxDev-C++ seems like the right choice to get back into c++.
Again, thank you all.
cheers.
In any case I have made my choice for now, wxDev-C++. That doesn't mean I won't try VS or other IDEs though. I'll be IDE humping as I hump from distro to distro in linux. But for now wxDev-C++ seems like the right choice to get back into c++.
Again, thank you all.
cheers.
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