Another interesting stat.  While it takes 6 seconds to open Eclipse with a workspace that has 200 projects, it takes more than 3 times as long (20 seconds) to open VS Code with a workspace of about 50.

Fair enough. To be honest I only deal with 1 project at a time per instance of VS Code, and open multiple instances of VS Code for working on multiple projects (typically 2-3, never more than 8-10). One limitation of VS Code is that a single instance == a single window. So Eclipse wins points there.

With Eclipse I'm constrained to use workspaces, although I do keep all the projects closed by default.

I just don't like the way Eclipse makes me work, nor the many of the little usability niggles, things that haven't changed in 5-10 years, and missing features that are available on other editors (VS Code, notepad++, Sublime, etc.)

I'll grant you that if you have 50-200 projects open simultaneously, then Eclipse loads faster.

Since we're trading personal anecdotes and preferences here, I *never* have 50-200 projects open at the same time. I'd say it's probably impossible for me to actually work on 50 projects at the same time.

It seems to me that the minimum/average startup time for Eclipse is a lot slower than VS Code's min/avg startup time, even if the worst-case is better. I would never open Eclipse just to edit one file for example, but I might open VS Code just to edit one file (assuming I'm on a fairly modern computer). VS Code is my default JSON editor. I can't see anyone using Eclipse as their default text editor for any kind of file, especially since it's rigidly workspace/project-based.

In the end I'm sure Garmin doesn't care about my opinion or day-to-day workflow. I'll reiterate my educated guess that Garmin somehow came to the conclusion the VS Code is more popular than Eclipse, and decided to switch in order to attract more devs.

EDIT: I just thought of another (optional) modern feature that VS Code (and other editors) have which Eclipse doesn't (as far as I know): the ability to "keep unsaved files" -- i.e. to exit the editor with unsaved changes, and have those changes preserved when you reopen the editor. Like the prototypical case of creating an untitled scratch pad, and not being ready to save it just yet.

Sure, you could say that most people don't need this feature or that it's actually not a good idea (VS Code actually disables this by default unless it exits without explicit user action -- e.g. on shutdown, reboot or crash), but it's a feature that a lot of older editors don't have.... I happen to love this feature.

EDIT2: Yet another modern feature: VS Code can detect that an extensionless file is in fact a script (e.g. sh, bash or python), once you open it and it examines the contents. Eclipse can't.

EDIT3: Another way VS Code is more modern than Eclipse: VS Code literally has no modal dialogs (that I can think of). Preferences open in a separate tab, not a modal dialog which blocks all your other work. And various sections of preferences open in different tabs (e.g. keyboard shortcuts, user preferences.) VS Code also gives you easy access to the underlying settings (JSON) file, if you prefer to edit them that way. The closest VS Code comes to a modal is the drop-down menu that's used for the command palette (and extensions).

flowstate said:

I will also say that Macbooks have the best trackpad I've ever used -- there's no competition, IMO.

I hate the trackpad on Macs. IN fact, I hate the trackpads on every laptop. I much prefer the "nipple" that was once found and still is on a IBM Thinkpad / Lenovo now.(Dell used to have one as well). The ease of just pushing and never having to have your finger swiping left and right all over the place and what not. I really just hate it. 

but that's just me :-p 

jim_m_58 said:

The strong use of key board short cuts is one of the reasons I'm not that impressed with VS code.  I like to drive with a mouse and just taking your hand off the mouse slows the work flow. 

I love my keyboard shortcuts. and while I've not memorised all of them, but the ones which I use often, I would use a keyboard rather than a mouse. a CTRL-R beats a movement of the hand to the mouse, to move the mouse to get the cursor and then to click on the mouse button on the run button.

so many actions vs the CTRL-R

flowstate said:

With a nipple / analogue stick, if I want to move the mouse cursor faster/farther, I have to press harder and/or wait longer.

haha.. yeah. that's true. To me, it's just the added "stress" of having to move my hands around. Something about ergonomics and somehow moving my hands to the mouse just sort of makes my arm tired. 

flowstate said:

Which is why I love the command palette. You don't have to memorize infrequently used shortcuts, you just have to remember a small part of the identifier. (The fact that the command palette sorts by recently used commands is a huge help here). e.g. ERA viewer: CTRL-SHIFT-P + "ERA".

I only use VS Code for python :p so I don't exactly know what you're talking about. But if it's anything like Mac's Spotlight or windows "Start->Run" then yeah I get it.

Nik said:

Personally, I'm a bit "meh" on VS Code, do you know what was the driving force behind the switch?

Sorry to beat a dead horse, but I figured I'd go straight to the source (Garmin) instead of speculating.

GDVC 2020: Connect IQ Tools

https://youtu.be/Lm3NHhUGvJU?t=172

(Emphasis mine)

"The Eclipse IDE is sophisticated at best, and complicated at worst, to the point that Eclipse can be a barrier to entry for learning Connect IQ. People can get lost because they downloaded the wrong version or can't find the perspective, so we decided it was time for a change. Visual Studio Code has become very popular and has a very extendable architecture."