"For some, they want editing to have high physical efficiency - using keyboard shortcuts and command keys, maybe the odd time the mouse comes in handy. Others want their editors to be virtually efficient - to make the most out of their resources (RAM, disk space) - or to be "small". "
In 2015, I would think that most (i.e. > 90%) want an editor that's makes them most efficient as developers.
A little side project I have is to create a set of notes on editors I've used, or want to use, so I can compare them, and use each more efficiently.
The editor which makes me most productive as a developer is the one I have to think about least. I spend an order of magnitude more time reading and thinking than typing, so no amount of increased editor efficiency could make a significant improvement to my productivity. Having to stop focusing on the problem at hand in order to remember how to operate some sophisticated editor feature, on the other hand, could be a significant distraction. I want to use the simplest, most straighforward editor capable of doing the job, and if I have to spend a few extra minutes here and there doing some repetitive code munging by hand, it is not a problem because I can continue doing the hard part of the job (thinking) while my fingers are busy typing.
After using an editor for dozens of hours a week over decades, I decided it was worth the effort to write one of my own. I've been living in it for close to a year and a half now, and while it has a couple of quirks that occasionally bug me, it's nothing serious, and I feel pretty happy with my decision so far.
In 2015, I would think that most (i.e. > 90%) want an editor that's makes them most efficient as developers.
A little side project I have is to create a set of notes on editors I've used, or want to use, so I can compare them, and use each more efficiently.
https://github.com/melling/EditorNotes
Edititing should be a precise skill with less hand movement and fewer keys pressed.