Some Tools

• I will primarily focus on windows.
  • I will comment on macos occasionally
  • If you already use Linux, i shouldn't need to say anything.
  • Nothing on chrome.
• You really need three tools
  • A text editor.
    • This is a tool that allows you to put text into a file.
    • You will use this to create programs, data files and other items.
  • A file transfer client.
    • This is a tool that will allow you to transfer files from one computer to another.
  • A terminal emulator.
    • This is a tool that will allow you to issue commands on a remote machine.
• But note, visual studio code can do all of this.
  • And there are other environments as well.
• You don't need to install this software on your personal machine
  • It should be installed on all of the computers in our labs.
  • But you will probably want to do this.
• GUI Text editors
  • Note: Not a word processor.
  • You need the ability to save just plain text.
  • These are easy to learn, but will be difficult to use across the network
    • The default workflow is to edit on the local computer and transfer the files to the remote computer
    • This is annoying for minor changes in the file, which you will frequently have.
    • But you have copies of your file on both the local and remote computer.
  • Notepad would work, but it is very primitive.
  • Notepad++ is a reasonable choice for windows.
    • It is just a text editor.
    • But specialized for programming.
    • Easy to use
  • Visual Studio Code
    • Very up to date and modern
    • Many extensions
    • Works for MacOS, Windows and Linux.
    • Integrated Gethub Copilot.
    • If I were selecting one, this is probably what I would choose.
  • Other choices exist
  • I am told that bbedit on macs is good.
• Text based Text Editor
  • These do not need a GUI, so they can work on the remote machine.
  • They have a steeper learning curve.
  • But I have used the same editor for quite a few years.
  • vi
    • Probably vim
    • Perhaps neovim
    • vi is available on all linux/unix machines by default. It is in some sense THE linux/unix editor.
  • Others:
    • nano, emacs, joe, .... (linux)
• Terminal emulator /ssh client
  • SSH is secure shell
    • It allows encrypted network communications.
    • It is the way to work on a remote computer.
  • putty
    • download page
    • is a reasonably good pseudo-terminal package.
    • This is what I use in class.
  • On linux and MacOS I just use a terminal.
  • I understand that you can just use the command line on windows
  • You will want to connect to cslab103.cs.edinboro.edu on port 22.
• File transfer client
  • I use winscp on windows.
  • Filezilla works, but is usually filled with adware.
  • psftp is a command line verson from the putty people.
  • mac and linux sftp is built in as a command line tool.
• What other options to I have?
  • Visual studio code is a great option.
    • It has all the pieces built in.
    • But the learning curve is a little high (in my opinion)
  • Dev-C++ is an option, but the c++ compiler is out of date
  • As it is with mingw, the text based option here.
  • For macos
    • I think you can install gcc
  • You can use visual c++ from microsoft, but I need it to compile with gcc
• Linux:
  • Don't wipe out your primary machine and install linux.
  • Just don't do it.
  • If you have a spare machine, it can be quite old, you can install linux and use that.