The first non-Windows-Notepad text editor I used was Programmer's Notepad. I thought syntax highlighting was just so cool and different.


Then when I moved to my first linux (Ubunu), I was shocked to discover that the built-in text editor (gedit) has syntax highlighting. So I used gedit for a while and thought it was really good. Then once I got initiated into basic terminal usage I discovered vim, and I haven't looked back since.


I've yet to try emacs, though.