HP Joins Eclipse, Supports Open-Source Tools Project (TechWeb) [LWN.net]

TechWeb covers HP's entry into the Eclipse open-source consortium. "The Eclipse project is aiming to create an open-source "framework" that lets third-party vendors "plug in" specialty development tools. The idea is to let developers work within a single framework -- including things like user interface and shared services like source-code management or debugging -- for all their development."

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HP Joins Eclipse, Supports Open-Source Tools Project (TechWeb)

Posted Oct 3, 2002 22:47 UTC (Thu) by eskild (guest, #1556) [Link]

Four comments in one:

1. When are they going to stop accepting new member companies into Eclipse? There are a *lot* of folks there, I'm concerned it may end up with too many cooks, etc., each trying to influence the program, perhaps in a havy-handed manner? We'll see.

2. As a C++ programmer, I still don't feel Eclipse is good enough for me to use in my daily job -- at least not yet. Does anybody actually use it full-time? Experiences? (Most annoying thing: Eclipse's reverse-engineering tools aren't there yet -- no class browser; the Outline doesn't list stuff coming from parent classes, etc, etc... So far I still feel more productive just using grep + tags in Emacs, with the occasional SourceNavigator thrown in.)

3. Java performance still isn't exactly stellar (keyboard lagging at times), plus it's a bit on the heavy side graphics-wise: I sometimes work from at home using VPN over xDSL, connecting to a Linux server at work. I can run Xterms and Emacs (classic Xlib + Xt apps) just fine, but Eclipse is too heavy to run comfortably.

4. MDI instead of single windows. Argh! I don't feel they give me enough ways of organizing my workspace. If Emacs didn't have as silly default keybindings, I would love it since it lets me open many, space-efficient windows with low screen real-estate overhead. (And, please, don't tell me the old "but you can change 'em" story -- I know I can, but then next time I sit at a default Emacs, I don't know how to navigate it.) As it is, I just have to live with Emacs. (Oh, and I know how there are *tons* of other editors out there. My point is mainly that I'd like something decently "standard", so I wouldn't have to learn 253 different editor variants. And no, VI is nice, but not that nice... ;-)

But I wish them luck. I may one day use Eclipse.