Best editor for programming | Pieter Levels and Lex Fridman
Summary
TLDRIn this conversation, the speakers discuss their preferences for programming tools, with a focus on the transition from Sublime Text to Visual Studio Code. They touch on the importance of learning new technologies, even if they're not immediately applicable, to expand one's understanding and keep up with industry trends. The discussion also covers the idea of learning by doing, suggesting that building projects in different frameworks can provide valuable insights. Additionally, they explore the concept of minimalism in work setups, questioning the need for multiple screens and tools, and how constraints can lead to increased productivity. The speakers also share personal anecdotes about their work habits and the impact of ergonomics and simplicity on their productivity.
Takeaways
- π¨βπ» The speaker emphasizes that the choice of development tools like VS Code or Sublime Text doesn't significantly impact productivity, suggesting that proficiency with any tool can lead to high efficiency.
- π The speaker fondly recalls Sublime Text for its multi-cursor feature, which facilitated mass editing of code, a feature they found less intuitive in VS Code.
- π± The transition to VS Code was influenced by peer pressure from the tech community, highlighting the social dynamics in tool adoption.
- π‘ The speaker advocates for continuous learning in tech, even if it means occasionally adopting new tools or languages to broaden one's understanding, even if not used long-term.
- π§ They discuss the importance of trying new technologies to expand one's perspective, comparing it to keeping the brain fresh and adaptable.
- π οΈ The speaker humorously refers to reinstalling Windows as 'format C', a nostalgic look back at the practice of resetting systems to improve performance.
- π€ There's a contemplation on the value of learning new frameworks like React and Next.js, with the speaker acknowledging the rapid changes and complexity in web development.
- π‘ The discussion touches on the idea of working ergonomically versus working comfortably on a couch, suggesting that comfort might be more conducive to productivity for some.
- πͺ The speaker shares a personal anecdote about overcoming RSI through lifestyle changes and proper posture, including working on a couch.
- π There's a debate on the merits of different operating systems, with the speaker expressing a preference for the freedom and customization of Windows and Android over the 'closed' systems like macOS.
Q & A
What text editor did the speaker switch from before using Visual Studio Code?
-The speaker switched from Sublime Text before using Visual Studio Code.
Why did the speaker change to Visual Studio Code?
-The speaker changed to Visual Studio Code due to peer pressure from people on Twitter who suggested that Sublime Text was outdated and that they should use Visual Studio Code instead.
What feature of Sublime Text does the speaker appreciate?
-The speaker appreciates the multi-cursor feature in Sublime Text, which allows for mass changes across a file.
What is the speaker's opinion on the importance of the tools used for programming?
-The speaker is skeptical about the importance of the tools used for programming, believing that proficiency in any tool can lead to high productivity.
What does the speaker suggest about learning new technologies?
-The speaker suggests that one should keep learning new technologies to expand their understanding, even if they don't plan to use them long-term.
Why did the speaker mention 'format C'?
-The speaker mentioned 'format C' as a nostalgic reference to the practice of reinstalling Windows to fix issues and improve performance.
What is the speaker's view on the necessity of learning new frameworks like React?
-The speaker views learning new frameworks as valuable for understanding new technological concepts, but also acknowledges the need to prioritize based on their current focus, such as AI.
What did the speaker do to transition from using multiple screens to a single laptop?
-The speaker transitioned from using multiple screens to a single laptop by consolidating all tasks onto a 16-inch MacBook, finding it more productive and less straining on the neck.
What health issue did the speaker experience related to their work setup?
-The speaker experienced repetitive strain injury (RSI), which was alleviated by changes in posture and starting to lift weights.
What is the speaker's current work setup in terms of physical comfort?
-The speaker's current work setup involves working on a couch with a laptop on a pillow, sitting with legs together, which they find comfortable and productive.
What is the speaker's perspective on the idea of 'more is better' when it comes to tools and screens?
-The speaker is suspicious of the idea that 'more is better' when it comes to tools and screens, suggesting that constraints can lead to increased focus and productivity.
Outlines
π» Developer's Tool Preferences and Learning Philosophy
The speaker discusses their transition from Sublime Text to Visual Studio Code (VS Code) due to peer influence on Twitter. They emphasize the importance of being comfortable with any tool when one knows its shortcuts and functionalities well. The speaker also touches on the idea that learning new technologies, even if not used long-term, expands one's understanding and keeps the mind fresh. They advocate for continuous learning and trying out new tools and frameworks, like React and Next.js, to stay current with technological advancements.
π οΈ Exploring New Frameworks and Deployment Challenges
The speaker contemplates learning new web development frameworks like Next.js and Laravel, considering their potential time-saving benefits. They express uncertainty about where to start with these new technologies and the fast-paced changes in the field. The conversation suggests building a simple web page with dynamic elements in various frameworks to compare their efficiencies and to understand the deployment process on platforms like Vercel or Heroku. The idea of benchmarking developer happiness with different frameworks is also entertained.
π€ The Genius of Simplicity in Learning and Teaching
The discussion highlights the ability to explain complex concepts without jargon as a mark of true genius, exemplified by certain individuals in the AI community. The speaker considers whether learning frameworks might be counterproductive for their needs, preferring to stick with familiar technologies like PHP and vanilla JavaScript. They also reflect on their switch to Mac in 2014, which they associate with a series of positive changes in their life, including starting a business and traveling. The conversation touches on the merits of different operating systems and the influence of peer pressure and successful role models in adopting new technologies.
ποΈββοΈ Overcoming RSI and Embracing Ergonomics in Work Setup
The speaker shares their experience with repetitive strain injury (RSI) and how it led to a change in their work setup. They moved from an ergonomic standing desk to working on a couch, which they found surprisingly comfortable and productive. The narrative includes a humorous anecdote about a neck injury and the realization that sometimes less is more when it comes to work tools. The speaker also reflects on the benefits of having a minimalist setup, which they find conducive to focus and efficiency, contrasting it with the 'gear acquisition syndrome' often seen among peers.
Mindmap
Keywords
π‘Productivity
π‘IDE (Integrated Development Environment)
π‘Shortcuts
π‘Multi-cursor
π‘Peer Pressure
π‘Learning Curve
π‘Frameworks
π‘Deployment
π‘Ergonomics
π‘Nomad
π‘Constraints
Highlights
The speaker discusses their transition from Sublime Text to Visual Studio Code (VS Code) and the influence of peer pressure on their choice of development environment.
They express skepticism about the importance of specific development tools, suggesting that proficiency with any tool can lead to high productivity.
The speaker reminisces about the ease of using multi-cursor features in Sublime Text for mass editing tasks.
They share their experience of being 'bullied' into using VS Code by the tech community and how they eventually adapted to it.
The importance of continuous learning in technology is emphasized, with the speaker discussing their journey from Emacs to VS Code.
The speaker humorously references 'format C' as a solution to Windows slowdowns, highlighting a nostalgic view of older computing practices.
They discuss the value of learning new technologies, even if they are not immediately applicable to one's work, to expand one's understanding.
The speaker considers the idea of building a framework from scratch versus learning existing ones, highlighting the benefits of understanding underlying concepts.
They touch on the challenges of learning new frameworks and the fast-paced nature of technology, suggesting a need for a structured learning approach.
The speaker contemplates the idea of benchmarking developer happiness and productivity across different development frameworks.
They express a desire to learn React and Next.js, acknowledging the significance of these technologies in modern web development.
The speaker considers the benefits of hiring someone proficient in a technology to learn from them, suggesting it as an efficient learning method.
They discuss the potential of building a single web page in various frameworks to compare and understand their differences.
The speaker shares their preference for working on a single screen versus a multi-monitor setup, citing increased focus and productivity.
They reflect on the ergonomics of working environments, discussing how lifting and posture improvements alleviated their RSI issues.
The speaker humorously describes their minimalist work setup, suggesting that constraints can lead to increased focus and productivity.
They discuss the impact of switching to a Mac from Windows and how it coincided with positive changes in their personal and professional life.
Transcripts
just out of curiosity what uh what id do
you use let's talk about like your whole
setup given how ultr productive you are
and that you often program in your
underwear slouching in the couch is
there does it matter to you in general
is there like a specific ID you use vs
code yeah vs code before I use Sublime
Text I don't think it matters a lot I
think I'm I'm very skeptical of like
tools when people think it they say it
matters right I don't think it matters I
think uh whatever tool you know very
well you can go very very fast in like
you know the shortcuts for example IDE
you know you like um I love Sublime Text
because I could use like multi cursor
you know you search something and then I
could like make Mass replaces in a file
with the cursor thing and uh VSCO
doesn't really have that as well it's
actually interesting Sublime is the
first editor where I've learn that and I
think they just make that super easy so
like what would that be called
multi-edit multi multi multi edit thing
whatever I'm sure like almost every
editor can do that is just probably hard
to set up yeah's not so good at it I
think or at least I try it but I would
use that to like uh process data like um
data sets for example from World Bank I
would just multic cursor Mass change
everything um but yeah vs code I man I
was bullied into using vs code because
Twitter would always see my screenshots
of sublime text and say why are you
still using Sublime Text like Boomer you
need to use vs codes and I'm like yeah
I'll try it I I got a new Macbook and
then I I never install like I never copy
the old MacBook I just make it fresh you
know like a clean like format C you know
Windows like clean start and I'm like
okay I'll try vs code and it's stuck you
know but I don't really care like it's
not so important for me wow you know the
format C reference huh dude it was so
good you would install Windows and then
after three or six months it would start
breaking and everything was like get
slow then you would restart go to Dos
format C you would delete your hard
drive and then install the Windows 95
again was so good times and you would
design everything like now I'm going to
install it properly now I'm going to
design my desktop properly you know like
yeah I don't know if it's peer pressure
but like I used emac for many many years
and I know you know I love lisp so a lot
of the
customization is done in lisp it's a
programming language it partially was
peer pressure but part of was realizing
like you need to keep learning stuff
like the same issue with jQuery like I
still think I need to learn node.js for
example yeah even though that's not my
main thing or even close to the main
thing but I feel like you need to keep
learning this
stuff and even if you don't choose to
use it long term you need to give it a
chance so you your understanding of the
world expands yeah you want to
understand the new technological
Concepts and see if they can benefit you
you know it would be stupid not to even
try it's more about the concepts I would
say than the actual tools like expanding
and that that can be a challenging thing
so going to vs code and like really
learning it like all the shortcuts all
the extensions and actually installing
different stuff and playing with it that
was uh interesting challenge it was
uncomfortable at first yeah for me too
yeah yeah but you just dive in it's like
neuroflex like you keep your brain fresh
you know like this kind of stuff I got
to do that more like have you given
react a chance no but I I want to I want
to learn I want to I I understand the
basics right
um I don't really know where to start
but would you like I guess you got to
use your own model which is like build
the thing using it no man you're so I
kind of did that like I kind like the
the the stuff I do in J is essentially a
lot of it is like I start rebuilding
whatever Tech is already out there not
based on that but just an accident like
I keep cing long enough that I built the
same I start getting the same problems
everybody else had and you start
building the same Frameworks kind of so
I essentially I use my own kind of
framework of you basically build a
framework from scratch that's your own
that you understand it kind of yeah with
Ajax calls but essentially it's the same
same thing look I don't have the time I
don't and this is I think saying you
don't have the time is like always a lie
because you just don't prioritize it
enough my priority is still like the the
running the businesses and improving
that and and AI I think learning AI is
much more valuable now than learning uh
a front end framework yeah like it's
just more impact I guess you should be
just
learning every single day a thing yeah
you can learn a little bit every day
like a little bit of react or I think
now like next is very big so learn a
little bit of next you know but I I call
them the military industrial complex so
if I but you need to know you need to
know it anyway so you gotta learn how to
use the weapons of war and then and then
you can be a peace Nick yeah yeah I mean
but you got to learn in in in the same
exact ways we were talking about which
is learn it by trying to build something
with it and actually deploy it the
Frameworks are so complicated and it
changes so fast so it's like where do I
start you know and I guess it's the same
thing when you're starting out making
websites like how where do you start as
gp4 I guess but it yeah it's just so
Dynamic it changes so fast that I don't
know if it would be a good idea for me
to learn it you know um maybe some
combination of like few next with PHP
larav laravel is like a framework for
PHP I think that would be uh it could
benefit me you know maybe Tailwind for
CS like a styling engine that that stuff
could probably save me time yeah but
like you you won't know until you really
give it a try and it feels like you have
to build like if maybe I'm talking to
myself but like I I should
probably recode like my personal one
page in larel or yeah and even though it
might not have almost any Dynamic
elements maybe have one Dynamic element
but it has to go end to endend in that
framework yeah or like end to end build
it in node.js some of it is I don't
figuring out how to even deploy the
thing like all I know is right now I
would send it to GitHub and it sends it
to my server I don't know how to get
JavaScript running I have no clue yeah
so I guess I need like a a pass like a
like versal right or uh you know Heroku
kind of those kind of platform I
actually kind of just my gave myself the
idea of like I kind of just want to
build a single web page like one web
page that has like one Dynamic element
and just do it in every single like in a
lot of Frameworks like just ah on the
same page same same page kind page
that's a cool prodct youn all these
frame
you can see the differences yeah that's
interesting how long it takes to do it
yeah stopwatch I have to figure out
actually something sufficiently
complicated because it should probably
do it should probably do some kind
of thing where it accesses the database
and dynamically is changing stuff some
AI stuff some llm stuff yeah maybe some
it doesn't have to be AI LM but call Api
call too to to replicate for example
then you have yeah that would be a very
cool project yeah yeah and like time
and also report on my happiness yeah I'm
going to totally do this cuz nobody
benchmarks this nobody's Benchmark happy
developer happiness with Frameworks
nobody's Benchmark the shipping time I
just take like a month and do this how
many Frameworks are there there's how
many how many there there's like five
main ways of doing it so there's like
there no there's back end front end and
this stuff confused me too like react
now apparently has become backend yeah
or something it used to be only front
end and you're forced to do now back
also I don't know and then but there's
not really you're not really forced to
do anything so like according to the
Internet so like there's no um it's
actually not trivial to find the canical
way of doing things so like the standard
vanilla like you you go to the ice cream
shop there's like a million flavors I
want vanilla if if I've never had ice
cream in my life can we just like learn
about ice cream yeah I want vanilla
nobody actually sometimes they'll
literally name it vanilla but like I
want to know what's the basic way but
not like dumb but like the standard
canonical I want to know the dominant
way like 60% of developers do it like
this it's hard to figure that out you
know that's the
problem yeah maybe LS can help maybe you
should explicitly ask what is the
dominant they usually know like the
dominant you know they they they give
answers that are like the most probable
kind of yeah so that makes sense to ask
them and not I think honestly maybe what
would help is if if you want to learn or
I would want to learn like a framework
hire somebody that already does it and
just sit with them and make something
together like I've never done that but I
thought about it so that would be a very
fast way to you know take their
knowledge my brain I've tried these
kinds of things what happens is depends
what kind of if they're like a
worldclass developer yes often times
they themselves are used to that thing
and they have not themselves explored in
other options so they have this dogmatic
like talking down to you yeah like this
is the right way to do it it's like no
no no we're just like exploring together
okay show me the cool thing you've
tried which is like it has to have uh
open-mindedness to like you know no JS
is not the right way to do web
development it's like one way and
there's nothing wrong with the the old
lamp PHP jQuery vanilla JavaScript way
it just has its pros and cons and like
to know those people exist you could
find those people probably yeah like if
you want to learn AI imagine you have
carpati sitting next to you teaching you
like he does his YouTube videos it's
amazing he can teach it to like a
five-year-olds about how how to make llm
it's amazing like imagine this guy
sitting next you and just teaching you
like let's make LM together like holy
[Β __Β ] it would be amazing yeah I mean
well
K has its own style and his all like I'm
not sure he he's for everybody but for
example 5-year-old it depends on the
five-year-old yeah but he's like super
technical but he's amazing cuz he's
super technical and he's the only one
who can explain stuff in a simple way
which shows his complete genius yes
because if you can explain without
jargon you're like wow and build it from
scratch yeah it's like top tier you know
like what a guy but he might be anti
framework cuz he buil from scratch
exactly yeah actually probably is yeah
uh he's like you but for AI yeah so
maybe learning framework is a is a very
bad idea for us you know maybe we should
stay PHP and like script Kitty and the
but you have to Maybe by learning the
framework you
learn what you want to yourself build
from scratch yeah maybe you learn
Concepts but you don't actually have to
start using it for your life right yeah
yeah and you're still a m guy always a m
guy yeah yeah I switched to MEC in 2014
Cu uh it was CU When I wanted to start
traveling and my brother was like dude
get a Macbook is like the standard now
I'm like wow I need to switch from
Windows and I had like three screens you
know like Windows had this whole setup
for music production I had to sell
everything um and then I had a Macbook
and I remember opening up this MacBook
box like ah and it was so beautiful it
was like this aluminium and then I
opened it I removed the you know the
screen protector thing it's so beautiful
and I didn't touch it for three days I
was just like looking at it really and I
was still on the Windows computer and
then I went traveling with that so I and
all my great things started when I
switched to Mac which sounds very
dogmatic right but what great things are
you talking about all the business
started working out like I started
traveling I started building startups
started making money it all started when
I switched to Mech listen I I kind
of you're making me want to switch to
Mac so I use either use Linux inside
windows with WSL or just Ubuntu Linux
but windows for most stuff like editing
or any like uh any do product yeah yeah
well you could use I guess you could do
Mac stuff there I wonder if I should
switch what do you miss about Windows
what was the pros and cons I think the
finder is horrible Mech like it's like
it's it's what is hor the finder oh you
don't know the find so this the Windows
Explorer yeah Windows Explorer is
amazing finder is strange man there's
like strange things there's this bug
where if you if you send like aach a
photo on WhatsApp or telegram it just
selects the whole folder and you almost
accidentally can click enter and you
send all your photos all your files to
this chat group happened to my
girlfriend she starts sending me photo
photo photo photo photo so F finder is
very unusable but it has Linux like the
the whole thing is like it's Unix based
right so you use the command line like
yeah all the time like all the time and
the cool thing is you can run I think
it's like Unix like Debian or whatever
you can run most Linux stuff on Mech OS
which makes it very good for development
like I have my engine X server you know
if I set if I'm not lazy and set up my
staging on my laptop it's just the
engine X server the same as I have on my
Cloud Server right the same where the
websites run and I can use almost
everything the same config files
configuration files
and it just works and that makes Mac a
very good platform for Linux stuff I
think yeah yeah real Ubuntu is like
better of course but yeah I'm in this
weird situation where
I'm somewhat of a power user in Windows
and let's say Android and all the much
smarter friends I have all using Mac and
iPhone and it's like but you don't want
to go through to the peer pressure you
know it's not peer pressure it's
like like one of the reasons I want to
have kids is there's a lot of like I I
would love to have kids as a base as a
baseline but you know there's like a
concern maybe there's going to be a
trade-off or all this kind of stuff but
you see like these extremely successful
smart people who are friends of mine who
have kids and are really happy they have
kids so that's that's not peer pressure
that's just like a strong signal work
for people it works for people and the
same thing with Mac it's like
yeah like the the fun I don't see
fundamentally I don't like closed
systems so like fundamentally I like
Windows more because there's much more
freedom same with Android there's much
more freedom it's much more customizable
but like all the the cool kids the smart
kids are using Mac and iPhone it's like
all right I need to really I need to
give it a real chance especially for
development since more and more stuff is
done in the cloud anyway well anyway uh
but it's funny to hear you say all the
good stuff start happening maybe I'll be
like that guy too when I switch to Mac
all the good stuff start happening I
think it's just about the hardware it's
not so much about the software the
hardware so well build right the
keyboard and yeah but look at the
keyboard I use so that is pretty
cool that's one word for it uh what's
your favorite place to work uh on the
couch does the couch matter is the couch
at home or is it any couch no any like
Hotel couch also like in the room right
in the room yeah but I used to work like
very ergonomically with like a standing
desk yeah and everything like perfect
like eye height screen blah blah blah
and I felt like man this has to do with
lifting too I started getting RSI like
uh repetitive strain injury like
tingling stuff and it would go all the
way on my back and I was sitting in a
co-working space like 6: a.m. sun comes
up and I'm working and I'm coding and I
hear like a sound or something so I do
like I look left and my neck get stuck
like and I'm like wow [Β __Β ] and
um I'm like what's am I dying you know
and I thought I'm probably dying
I don't want to die in a cing space I'm
going to go home and die in like you
know peace and honor so I close my
laptop and I put it in my backpack and I
walked to the to the street and got on
my motorbike went home um and I lied
down on like a a pillow like with my
legs up and stuff uh to get rid of this
like because it was my whole back and it
was because I was working like this all
the time yeah so um I started getting
like a a laptop stand everything
ergonomically correct but then I started
lifting thing and since then like it
seems like everything gets straightened
out your posture kind of you you're more
straight and I never have RS RSI anymore
rep injury I never have tingling anymore
uh no pains and stuff so then I started
working on the sofa and it's great like
it it feels um you're close to the I I
sit like I sit like this yeah legs
together and then a pillow and then a
laptop and then I work are you like
leaning back I'm kind of like
together like the legs and then where's
the mouse using using the no I no so
every St that on the Mac OS on the
MacBook I used to have the Logitech MX
Mouse the perfect economic Mouse doing
like this little thing with the thing
one screen one screen and I used to have
three screens so I come from the I know
where people come from I I had I had all
the stuff but then I realized that
having it all condensed in one laptop
it's a 16-inch Macbook so it's quite big
but having an own there is amazing cuz
you're so close to the tools you're so
close to what's happening you know it's
like working on the car or something
it's like so um like man if you have Tre
skin you to look here look there you get
also neck injury actually so it's well I
don't know this this sounds like you're
part of a cult and you're just trying to
convince me but uh I mean but it's good
to hear that you can be ultra productive
on a single screen that's I mean that's
crazy come on tap you all up like when
it's all up me command switch very fast
so you have like one the entire screen
is taken up by vs code say you look at
the code and then yeah and then like if
you deploy like a website you what
switch screens monab to Chrome I used to
have this swipe screen you know you
could do like um different screen yeah
spaces yeah I was like ah it's too
difficult let's just put it on one
screen on the MacBook and then and he'
be productive that way yeah very
productive yeah more productive than
before interesting because I have I have
three screens and two of them are
vertical like siid code right yeah for
the code you can see a lot no man I love
it like I'm I love seeing it with
friends like they have amazing like
Battle Stations right it's called It's
amazing I want it but I don't want it
right like do you like the constraints
there's that's it there's some aspect of
the constraints which like once you get
good at it you can focus your mind and
you can man I'm suspicious of like more
you know yeah you really need all the
stuff like it might Slow Me Down
actually it's a good way to put it I'm
suspicious of more me too suspicious of
more in all in all ways in all because
you can defend more right you can defend
yeah my veler I make money I need to I
need to get more screens right I need to
be more efficient and then you read
stuff about like mythical man month
where like hiring more people slows down
a software project project that's famous
I think you can use that metaphor maybe
for you know tools as well then I see
friends just with gear aition syndrome
they buying so much stuff but they're
not that productive they have the best
be most beautiful Battle Stations
desktops everything they're not that
productive and it's also like kind of
fun like it's all from my laptop in a
backpack right it's kind of nomad
minimalist e
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