Is it wrong not to prefer an IDE?

Question

Lately I've been job hunting, and for the most part, they would ask me what type of IDE I like to use.

Now, I usually answer with;

Well it all depends on what language I'm developing it in. If it's Java then it would be Eclipse, if AS3 then either Flash CS4 or Flex Builder 3. For HTML, CSS, PHP, and Javascript, I prefer to use PsPad. (almost identical to Notepad+ or textmage).

Now why is it that they always seem to become immediately disgusted with the fact that I said PSPad? Truth be told, I don't like to use DreamWeaver because I feel like it's bloated. I mean to each his own I guess ... but I've tried using it and I honestly work faster with PSPad.

Should I start using Dreamweaver just to put in my resume?

Answer 1

Theoretical Advice

It's quite reasonable not to like IDE's, though you do need to acknowledge their usefulness, and everyone has their own most efficient ways of working, which makes sense.

Practical Advice

You can't deal with recruitment agents logically, I'm afraid. You need to check their checkboxes, and get past them, to talk to someone real.

Once you get into a real interview with a programmer, be honest about everything, about why you don't like IDE's (especially DreamWeaver) and then you can just hope for the appropriate outcome.

But with recruitment agents you need to appreciate that they don't understand anything about our industry; and you typically need to give them the answers they want.

I'd say your are "familiar" with DreamWeaver and leave it at that.

Answer 2

Maybe they don't know what PSPad is - I didn't. As for Dreamweaver, I would actually look down on somebody who uses Dreamweaver. It's much better to be able to code from scratch.

And to answer your question - it's definitely not wrong to not prefer a single IDE for everything. You should use whatever tools you feel comfortable with, and if it's different for each language, then so be it.

Answer 3

As silky alluded to above, it's probably a simple mechanism in use by the HR agency to filter out candidates. If you're not using an IDE on the selected list, you're filtered.

For me, when interviewing, I would find somebody who says they use VIM or Emacs as their IDE to be a more advanced developer than perhaps somebody using Notepad.

Answer 4

Last time a CTO asked me what I use, I immediately said "Emacs, of course". He said, "OK, now I'm interested!". I've been working there since.

(I don't know why PSPad would be any worse than Dreamweaver or Eclipse. I find all IDEs hard to really customize. Everybody I work with has gobs of elisp, much of it shared, to make it much more productive for our project.)

Maybe you're talking to the wrong people for the kind of job you want. Where are you finding these "they" who ask you this?

Answer 5

It's certainly not worse than depending on one.

Answer 6

This question has no good answer. It depends on the culture of the place you're interviewing for. At my current job, I play up my Unix experience and can impress other folks that also enjoy non IDE toolsets. vi, one liner scripts, etc. At my former gig, people were enamored with Visual Basic, and thought the command line was horrific. I'll bet if you were interviewing for the company that develops PSPad you would not have had the same result. ;-)

Answer 7

Sucks that we have to go through people who care not about the programmer but the programs we use!

I mean I think I lost a few chances just by trying to explain that I am decent with HTML and CSS but don't use Dreamweaver (because I cant afford it).

Though I am not that worried, I did eventually stumble across a person who does understand these things and love working for him. So no it's not wrong, you're just unlucky to have come across wrong recruiters.

Good luck finding a job though!

PS It doesn't take more than 10 minutes to get familiar with an IDE, so always a plus to try out some (so you're not completely lost later).

Answer 8

One way to spin such answers is to make yourself the expert. So you could say something like, "I'm familiar with Dreamweaver, but once I got really good at coding HTML, CSS etc. I found it more efficient to just use a really fast and simple text editor like PSPad."

I used the same trick after I worked in C++ and was applying for a Java job. In that case, it went like this, "Well, the nice thing about having started in C++ is that it's such a rich and low level language that once you've done that, Java seems really easy by comparison."

The recruiter doesn't know what DreamWeaver is -- they just know what a commission is. Show them you'll make them one by selling yourself to their principle and they'll send you out to interview more often than not.

Answer 9

Look: when you're job hunting the person who is looking at your resume is either a:

• Human Resource person (Needs a person to fill a position or just interview)
• Head Hunter (Needs a body to fill a job so they can get their placement pay)
• IT Manager (Needs a qualified soul for the best price).

Depending on the person interviewing you over the phone or in person they are just trying to get the best candidate for a position. Sometimes they have prepared questions to see how much you know, how you think and do you match up to your resume.

I went to a .NET code camp once and a head hunter was asked how one goes about showing the interviewer their experience. The head hunter said show them your work:

• Bring a laptop with samples of your work.
• Print out code sample.
• Direct the interview to a website with samples of your work.

Things like this get you past the IDE question real quick.

Answer 10

I use EMACS as my primary programming environment. It has a few big advantages:

• It's available practically everywhere.
• You can use it without having a window system installed.
• You can use it over SSH.
• It lets you edit multiple files at the same time.
• It understands most programming languages.
• You can run subshells.
• Oh, you can read your email from within it, too.

Answer 11

No, just like it's not wrong to prefer:

• Horses over cars;
• Kerosene lamps over electrical lighting;
• Aqueducts over water pipes;
• Storing food in a cold cellar instead of an "icebox";
• Punch cards over keyboards and visual displays;
• and so on.