I've noticed that most of my professors don't use syntax hilighting in VIM. They will either use white on black, or green on black. Does /prog/ think that this makes them worse programmers?
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Anonymous2008-03-23 13:48
Better. Syntax highlighting is for people who can't read code.
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Anonymous2008-03-23 13:49
No. Syntax highlighting is almost completely useless (actually more on the `harmful' side) apart from comments and string literals.
Anyone using green on black that haven't used an old green phosphor terminal is a fucking poser.
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Anonymous2008-03-23 13:56
>>5
I'm quite positive that all his professors have. You have to be a serious newfag to not have used one.
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Anonymous2008-03-23 14:25
I USE GREEN ON BLACK BECAUSE I HAVE SEEN THE MATRIX AND IT MAKES ME FEEL LIKE TRINITY. OH GOD I WISH IS WAS TRINITY
Trinity also likes nmap and she is kawaii. And there are hackers in the movie and that's good because I like hacksaws and I will never have mad skills. Why am I such a loser?
Trinity is like my dreamgirl she has a LaTeX suit I love that. She is also nice why aren't real girls nice!? I got winnuked a lot of times but I love Trinity and she wouldn't packet me because she's so nice and cool.
We would hack the Matrix all day and watch glyph codes and other cool animations on the HUD, and I would have sex with her because sex is so good. I wish I could have sex with a girl.
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Anonymous2008-03-23 14:39
>>6
I guess they might. I just had a knee-jerk reaction because I'm so fucking sick of kids shooting readibility to hell with blocky fonts and green-on-black because they think it looks cool or whatever the hell retarded reason they have. At least if they'd grown used to it during years of having nothing better available, they'd have an excuse.
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Anonymous2008-03-23 14:40
>>5
One of my local libraries still uses phosphor terminals. They're not extinct yet, so I'd expect pretty much everyone has used or at least seen one at some point.
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Anonymous2008-03-23 14:46
>>1
If they don't use syntax highlighting (not hilighting as you said in your post) then they are obviously not programmers.
Sure, Sussman wrote on the fucking blackboard using one marker, not fucking 100 colors.
So your professors are not programmers but might be computer scientists.
They are also not vimmers, since that is one of the most basic features.
I don't use syntax highlighting, just basic white-on-black. To me, it's as annoying as inline spellchecking/autocorrection. I just want to see what I typed, nothing more and nothing less.
Also, I've noticed that most of the guys that teach C/C++ and systems programming use light foreground, dark background while the Java/Python/etc. use light background, dark foreground.
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Anonymous2008-03-23 20:45
Syntax highlighting make you reliant on the computer instead of your skill. It's just as bad as debuggers that make you lazy.
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Anonymous2008-03-23 20:50
That's no reason not to use it at all.
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Anonymous2008-03-23 20:59
Is that why EXPERT PROGRAMMERAnselm R. Garbe doesn't use syntax highlighting?
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Anonymous2008-03-23 21:13
>>15
So by the dame logic there's no reason to ever remove the training wheels on a bike, right?
>>17
training wheels fuck up your turning ratio, syntax highlighting doesn't change anything for bad, I use it 'cause OMG NICE COLORS and because I'm using a 15" CRT and I have a pretty bad view, so I can see spaces better at a glance, and because, yes, for me code gets clearer.
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Anonymous2008-03-23 21:27
syntax highlighting doesn't change anything for bad
It shifts away the responsibility for correct syntax from you to the computer.
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Anonymous2008-03-23 21:28
Syntax highlighting make you reliant on the computer instead of your skill. [citation needed]
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Anonymous2008-03-23 22:36
Well sorry you elitist fucks, some of us can't see as well as we'd like to be able to and therefore
a.) use dark backgrounds to not nuke our eyes
b.) use syntax highlighting to avoid typos.
ITT kids who couldn't program without serious hand-holding.
You remind of the sort of people who keep a language reference on their desk.
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Anonymous2008-03-23 23:51
ITT people who are resentful because others have found useful tools to be more productive.
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Anonymous2008-03-24 0:03
ITT lispers who keep their CLtL on their desk as a reference manual
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Anonymous2008-03-24 0:08
>>28
You aren't more productive when you allow yourself to make more mistakes
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Anonymous2008-03-24 0:13
>>30
So your entire opinion is based on the fact that you think syntax highlighting is only for detecting mistakes?
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Anonymous2008-03-24 0:16
>>31
It can also help beginners do things like differentiating functions from variables.
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Anonymous2008-03-24 0:28
>>32
Well, you've sure convinced me of the dangers of syntax highlighting!
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Anonymous2008-03-24 0:31
good syntax highlighting can help reduce a programmer's mental burden allowing the programmer to concentrate more mental energy into writing and refactoring programs instead of fucking around with syntax
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Anonymous2008-03-24 1:36
I've noticed that most of my professors don't use syntax hilighting in VIM VIM
Stopped reading there.
I'm not OP's professor, but I sometimes use syntax highlighting because it's pretty. I don't actually know what the colors mean though.
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Anonymous2008-03-24 4:01
I use syntax highlighting because it looks nice and I like it. I'm pretty sure it helps me scan through code faster. Sometimes I switch emacs color themes according to my mood, just to be a fag.
Not using syntax highlighting is fine too. There is really no reason to care about this issue. Read your SICP.
I knew /prog/ was full of fags but didn't expect so many morons actually.
God damn reddit.
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Anonymous2008-03-24 11:09
I have a morning ritual that I need to share. I call it 'the sussman'. First I crouch down in the shower in the classic 'I put on my robe and wizard hat' pose. With my eyes closed I crouch there for a minute, visualizing either Sussman or Abelson and I start to hum the SICP theme. Then I slowly rise to a standing position and open my eyes. It helps me to proceed through my day as an emotionless EXPERT PROGRAMMER. The only problem is if the shower curtain sticks to my sussman leg. It ruins the fantasy.