VIM - the power - the prestige!
VIM Edit:
What's good about VIM: VIM is a verbose terminal command line interface tool. VIM allows you to keep your hands at the keyboard without interruptions with the mouse. It is a shortcut power tool. BUT, you have to be really good and have a lot of practice to make this a valid statement.
Here is a cheat sheet (there are Many): CHEAT SHEET VIM
VIM Compile:
You can also compile your code without leaving the interface.
VIM Run:
Run your code from the interface.
Open Source: Linux flavours are abundant and have a community of masters that contribute to keeping it viable and stable. Without these key people Linux wouldn't be where it is. You can purchase Linux versions with dedicated support. But it's the Open Source that is becoming the norm -- that goes with free Apps (applications) created from Open Source software.
* Note:
eMac, Macbook, Mac, (Apple that is) have been around for a very long time and the native language is that of Unix or a flavour of Linux. So with Apple/Mac you don't have to create a virtual partition or dual boot, just use the terminal as if you were in a Unix/Linux machine. That's the cohesiveness of it.
I come from a long life of PC and a super user of shortcuts and DOS command line interfacing and Windows versions of compilers. And so learning VIM was a challenge. But if you come from the Mac generation, then moving to Linux isn't as much of a learning curve as coming from PC. Especially learning what /root or /etc meant, because coming from PC it's C:/ or My Documents...