IDE Defaults

Are all ide's comparable?
In other words, there really isn't a "Best" ide, they all function properly once you learn the menu structure etc.
Just looking for an ide to move to once I get the syntax in my small memory bank and workable.

It seems to depend on what you are trying to accomplish. I've written code where the quickest and easiest way to do it was a text editor and a compiler. There are also complex systems where using an IDE will drastically increase your productivity. Eclipse has plugins to make web application development quick and easy. My understanding is that NetBeans has a GUI builder that makes desktop applications easy.

Does Eclipse store the IDE setting in some XML file?

it stores them somewhere... Haven't looked at WHERE that somewhere is though.

PB: Does Eclipse store the IDE setting in some XML file?
MANY files. If you want to see some of them, open up one of your projects in the Resource Perspective.
Joe