Tell you why I don’t like syntax highlighting (or any crutch). Ever since I read the chapter about Woz in Founders at Work. The thing that he thought made him so successful designing the Apple II: he knew every single little part of it intimately, like the back of his hand. That struck me like a lightning bolt. So that’s how I feel about my code now.
If I want to do something, I read and reread and reread it over and over and over until I practically memorize it. THEN it’s part of MY firmware, and that’s when I really get insightful and productive. IDE’s, syntax highlighting, etc. are just crutches that keep my real “hacking muscles” from developing. I won’t use them. Black and green; that’s all I know.
Similarly: I used to know every phone number I ever needed by heart until speed dial came out. One day last year, I had the very frightening experience of not being able to call a regular number from someone else’s phone. I have never used speed dial since. Anything that impedes my “brain exercise” is something I do
without.