What is your opinion on proprietary IDEs?

@Ghosty As in which ones are good? Or why they are the devil and no one should ever use them? Or the conspiracy to keep programmers locked into a technology they don't fully understand by hiding the details of the implementation with whiz-bang wizards and such?

@BradleySmall As in ease of use vs Freedom.
-> Is it worth giving up your Freedom to get more ease of use, features, etc..

@Ghosty Now there's an economics question if I ever heard one.

Or perhaps a game of "Would you rather?"

Suppose you have a lucrative job, programming in-house code in a proprietary language using all proprietary tools and a good paycheck. Or you are working for free using all free/libre tools but you have to live on ramen and ketchup packets and sleep on your Auntie Fanny's couch? :)

@BradleySmall @Ghosty Sometimes idealism is a wonderful thing. Sometimes you want to pay your bills and eat. It would all be great if we all had the privilege or luxury to just take an idealistic stand and do something because it was "right" or met with our philosophical stance on how things should be.

Morals and values can be relative, and subjective sometimes.

I have worked in the Gaming (casino gambling) industry as well as the Pornography (well known magazine) industry. Sometimes I just allow myself a little moral flexibility. I might not be the right person to ask if you are looking for moral guidance when it comes to writing software.