[BlindMath] Thoughts on Using IDEs (was C++ IDE)

[kperry at blinksoft.com]

I have been programming since 1991 as a blind person and programmed for  fun
for a few years before as a sighted kid before there were editors let alone
IDE's.  There is nothing like having to write a 10 page program in basic
without ever being able to save it.  I also wrote the Borland c++ scripts
for Jaws and was the one who started the Visual studio 2003 scripts that
worked till 2008.  They made the dialog editor accessible.  

With that said and to add to the idea that it is tough  when the you don't
use an IDE because you are not as fast as a sighted coder.  The truth is a
sighted coder will beat a blind coder when it comes to  GUI design hands
down no matter what OS your coding in.  For a couple reasons but the main
one is they can quickly check if their dialogs are working.  I can make
templates in any  language to create dialogs but checking them as a 100%
blind person is not easy.  In fact I normally just send them to a sighted
person to check them.

IDE's are amazing when you code in as many languages as I do because
remembering the exact arguments for each type of print or things like string
functions  can slow you down.  When you have to look it up.  Also IDE's are
great for starting a program because it sets everything up for you which
includes environment variables as well as paths.

I have built apps in low level ASM, Machine code, all the way up to strange
languages such as lisp and ILASM which is the under pinning's of .net all by
hand and I can tell you if I had an IDE I that was accessible I would have
used it for as much as was accessible because it speeds up the work flow and
makes using the language easier.  

As for what you're talking about.  Learning a language that is.  Your
probably write using an editor is better because it forces a person to get
down and dirty with the compiler, environment, tools, and sometimes even a
linker and debugger.  As for working though there is nothing that beats
using an IDE and Editor combination.  Heck for that matter many of the
editors are closer to IDE's than just editors now days anyway. 

With all that said, It is very important that we go after these IDE's like
Xcode interface builder, Visual studio , Arduino IDE, Android IDE, Eclipse,
Visual coder, and others all of which I use.  It is as important in coding
to be our own advocates as it is in the outside world.  Most of the IDE's I
just mentioned are very accessible.  The one place we need to continue to
work with the IDE designers on is the ability to make quick and easy dialogs
because I find that is the one place that the accessibility is not up to
snuff and the ability to work quickly and accurately is impossible.

ken

-----Original Message-----
From: BlindMath [mailto:blindmath-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Susan
Jolly via BlindMath
Sent: Friday, October 20, 2017 9:23 PM
To: blindmath at nfbnet.org
Cc: Susan Jolly <easjolly at ix.netcom.com>
Subject: [BlindMath] Thoughts on Using IDEs (was C++ IDE)

HI Ken, thanks for links.

I wasn't intending to start a discussion of the general pros and cons of
using IDEs which I agree is more suited to a programming list.  I also agree
that the focus of this list is math and related accessibility issues but a
lot of the students here also deal with programming.

I'd realized some time ago that programming classes sometimes require the
use of IDEs which I feel can be a bad idea, especially if it brings up
accessibility or other issues that distract from the main topic.  The
earlier thread reminded me about the topic. I couldn't remember whether I'd
made the same point before so that's why I posted it.

Cheers,
SusanJ


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