Eclipse PDT here. Why? Well, it's easy to use, highly customizable, and most important, very extensible. It has support for everything you'd need: php editor, syntax highlighting, code completion, error reporting as you type, support for debugging, code outline, snippets, html + javascript + css editor (provided by aptana plugin), database development & debugging, regex builder (extension) and so many more (if you really need more than all that)...

__________________

i use notepad and so on.. :)

__________________
Codefreek's - News Letter, Tech, & some random ramblings

Hi Xenon (used to be a great game btw, remember it well :D)

Have you tried the Zend Studio for Eclipse Beta? (free download at the moment).

I wasn't keen on it myself but that's probably because I'm not used to Eclipse. I'd be interested to hear your views on it as a seasoned Eclipse user.

Alan

Yes I have. It's a little better than PDT because it has support for Zend Framework embedded into it (you get some default controllers, models, views and projects templates). - I also work with ZF at the job, so it makes my life easier :) Also, I could say it provides a little bit more functionality than the PDT, some speed tweaks, and the possibility of installing & running Zend Encoder (and perhaps other Zend products) on top of it. Other than that, Zend Studio for Eclipse is actually built on the PDT platform, so most of the stuff is the same. Too bad the 'free' license expires after a month (it might be a little longer actually). Overall, I think I'd choose Zend over PDT if I were to choose (and of course if they would release it under a free license).

__________________

Hi Xenon,

If you don't mind, I may have a few questions for you about Zend Studio for Eclipse, PDT, and Eclipse in general soon.

I talking with Yossi Leon the PDT Project Leader at Zend today about why I didn't particularly like Zend Studio for Eclipse (compared to Zend Studio 5.5) as I am planning to do a full review of it shortly. Since I now know that you are the resident TalkPHP Eclipse expert I'll be bugging you when I do the review :D

Alan.

I've installed Eclipse on Ubuntu today and so far it looks pretty good. I've managed to connect to my web host via it and can access my files. Now I'm trying to get into my database via the host, but I always get a PING error. Anyone any info on that?

But yeah, I have moved from Vista to Ubuntu and needed a program to do my coding on and Eclipse seemed like the best solution. I'm used to Dreamweaver.

__________________
Not quite a n00b...

I'm thinking of switching from Vista to Linux. Just I've never dared to take that plunge yet! It's scary.

__________________
The man who comes back through the Door in the Wall will never be quite the same as the man who went out.

Linux isn't that scary - especially with distros like Ubuntu and Mandriva. When you get into Gentoo and Slackware, then you may be a bit over your head for a beginner.

The best way to try Linux is with a live CD distro like Ubuntu. You can try all the fun things about it and not worry about taking that full 'plunge'. After you are convinced, you can install from that same live CD.

I dabbled with Linux for a few years, and have switched at home for most of my computing needs. I dual boot Gentoo and Vista (*shudders*) so that I can play some of the newest games out there. I also like to keep up with the new versions of Windows, because I do some work on the side.

I have a hard time not having some of the features I find in KDE or Gnome when I am in windows. There are freeware and commercial solutions for Windows, but they cannot compare to the default behavior of those desktops. I also like the total control and customizable nature of Linux.

Use what you want, but do not be afraid to take the plunge!

@CMellor

If you have never tried them, check out Bluefish and Quanta Plus.
They are both very nice editors.

__________________
-- Bill
"Why is it drug addicts and computer aficionados are both called users?" -Clifford Stoll

Take a look into Fedora Core 7; from what I have seen it has amazing performance. We installed it on one of those nano-atx chassis, internal IBM video, and turned on the 3d desktop effects. Surprisingly to us we got good performance at the same time with a SLOW little box.

I just like Windows better. I've got many years experience with Windows, and I refuse to Vista-ize, and like XP. There isn't a huge reason or incentive to switch to Linux for me.

__________________
Programmers are in a race with the Universe to create bigger and better idiot-proof programs, while the Universe is trying to create bigger and better idiots. So far the Universe is winning. - Rich Cook

I havn't yet taken the switch from XP to Vista lol, But I've been considering to switch to Debian as a second OS in the near future for development propuse. I've been recommded it by Rasmus Lerdorf himself in Paris 2005 when I went to AFUP so it should by worth a try.

The cool thing about the OS 'debate' is that you do have a choice.

Run what you want and what you feel comfortable with! Don't just switch, because it is popular.

@RobertK
I used Fedora Core from version 3 to 7. I liked them all (except for 4). I just wanted to try a different flavor. I have been extremely happy with Gentoo's package and dependency management and the overall speed.

__________________
-- Bill
"Why is it drug addicts and computer aficionados are both called users?" -Clifford Stoll

It's nice to hear someone who shares the same view as me, buggabill ! Vista's actually treated me not too badly up-to-now. But if it should decide to go wrong then I have Linux on disc ready to go.

__________________
The man who comes back through the Door in the Wall will never be quite the same as the man who went out.

good choice on moving to linux, i did a few years ago you will enjoy it, i prefer a debian distro for apt-get.
For starters i would suggest Ubuntu.

__________________
mysql> SELECT * FROM `users` WHERE `users`.`clue` > 0;
Empty set (0.00 sec)

When ever you need :)

__________________

I used to use a little known php editor called.. well.. PHP Expert Editor, a long time ago.

Couple years ago though I switched to Zend IDE, and i've stuck with it. For many reasons...

1. SVN
2. Cross platform (Go Java!) (I can run it on my Mac, my Linux Distro, and my WinXP ((All of which I may use in just one day)))
3. Great standard IDE features (code completion, look ups, project browsing, inspectors, etc etc)
4. It doesn't come with a crap load of extra features used for WYSIWYG (like Dreamweaver does [no offense ;P])

I like to believe that no respectable programmer works with Dreamweaver for programming...it's like using a door handle to unlock a chest...wtf?!

__________________

Will someone explain to me what, exactly, is so horrific about Dreamweaver? I can fathom a guess it's because of the extra code written by the WYSIWYG.

There is nothing horrific about Dreamweaver at all :) I use it for all my HTML needs, switching between wysisyg mode and code-view to adjust bits of the html it creates.

Waaaaay back in the day, Dreamweaver used to create some "interesting" html at times which I think is where it gets its bad reputation from, but nowadays it creates standards-complient HTML (well, pretty much).

Alan.

ah, I only use the WYSIWYG mode to check I'm actually writing my html properly, never liked the notion of having software write code for me.

I'm primarily a Windows-software developer so I'm completely the opposite - the more code the software writes the better Wouldn't know what to do without Visual Studio writing half my code for me

Alan