So, I downloaded Pythonista and Codea on my iPad. Pythonista is an IDE for writing python on the iPad, and I sure wish there was a desktop version. Codea is another IDE and it uses LUA.

About a week ago a person actually made a whole GUI library for Codea using Lua. Both Pythonista and Codea are fantastic mobile IDEs, and I love to use them to practice.

However, when it comes to the laptop, I have three main choices I can think of. You have Visual Studio, Xcode, and Eclipse. There are other IDEs that are like Eclipse. I think there was one named Komodo.

Thing about these IDEs is that they are bloated. They have menus and options out the whazoo. For a beginner, it is just too much. I don't know what half of half of the functions do (that would be a quarter hehe).

There are plenty of text editors, but they don't have compilers. And you can't test stuff really. I have this game engine that I could use, but it is difficult to use on a mac (I am starting to prefer to use my mac instead of my toshiba).

Does anyone know of an IDE with a basic interface (perhaps like Scite or Smultron) that can compile programs (something that at least can print stuff to a console)?

I have found that Hype2 is perfect for practicing javascript (for mac).

Update:

Yes, I am going with QtCreator for several reasons:

1) It is free!

2) It has a bunch of example files

3) It was designed to be de-cluttered, and it is easy to all the extra stuff out of the way and get to your code.

4) It has good help documentation

5) It's so cute! haha.

note: Qt Creator "just works" on the mac, but there are so many extra steps I have to take to get started with it on the PC. I have to choose compilers and kits and such.

note: Yes, there is a 20mb version, but the larger version has all the examples and stuff in it.

Link to download QtCreator: (for anyone who might be interested)

http://qt-project.org/downloads

I wouldn't recommend a simple text editor if it shifts the burden of compiling and debugging on the user. Having a seamless compilation and debugging experience is crucial if you want to just practice programming, and not how to write makefiles.

Selecting a Simple IDE really depends on the goal you wish to achieve. There are many out there. Some require compiling before executing and others allow you to run without Compiling. Microsofts Visual Studios Allow you to run without compiling, Both in Basic and C++. For Form Based Applications I use Visual Basic.

For Hobby Purposes with some games I Use Blitz, either BlitzPlus or Blitz3D. All are free for downloading from either Microsoft or BlitzBasic websites respectively. Blitz comes with a reference library and enough sample code to get you started.

Thing about these IDEs is that they are bloated. They have menus and options out the whazoo. For a beginner, it is just too much.

You know, just because they're there doesn't mean you have to use them. For example, then English language has about 32000 words, is that a reason for no one to learn to speak it, even though most people will never use them all or even know what phthisic, cromulent, or apoptosis means?

Grab a common IDE like Eclipse or QtCreator. Use the basics (edit, compile, run). When you find you need more advanced options, there they are, waiting for you like the girl (or MOTAS, we don't judge) you left behind when you shipped off to the war. Put on those big-boy pants.

I actually get lost Bregma. I used Xcode for the first time yesterday, and the newest version is all over the place (coming from a beginners standpoint). I just wanted a simple white screen, a console, and some way to test stuff. But I had windows out the wahzoo. Interfaces like this make me afraid to click anything because I might break something (don't know what half the stuff does.)

There are very few software that I have used that are intuitive enough to be able to figure out without having to search endlessly on youtube to find tutorials for.

The way documentation is done today is so variable, and poorly presented overall.

It reminds me of the videos I saw by Andrew Price about the interface of Blender. No one doubts its ability, but it defeats, on most fronts, the principles of good user interface design.

I just supposed that software like Xcode was indeed made for the big boys (I am a little boy at the moment), and so that is why I need something less intimidating.

I think that if Pythonista goes to mac/windows, it will gain popularity amongst developers quickly. That goes for this app named Editorial also, which is a markdown editor for iPad that can use Python to automate writing tasks.

It reminds me of the videos I saw by Andrew Price about the interface of Blender. No one doubts its ability, but it defeats, on most fronts, the principles of good user interface design.

thing about these IDEs is that they are bloated . . .
For a beginner, it is just too much . . .

So do you need an IDE for only Python and Lua? Or an IDE for many languages?