Programming tools? I feel like im going to be shot down?

Really whatever works for you is what I feel is best. I use code::blocks because its easy to transfer from windows to linux with it(and for my school I do a good bit on both).  a text editor(notepad++ or gedit) is fine too but then you have to compile from the command line. 

 

Never done python so I wont comment on that.

I don't understand why you would be afraid to admit that you use Visual Studio. It is a fantastic ide. debugging and intelisense are fantastic. Sure you can write whatever you want in a simple text editor. But why would you want to you write using a note pad and compile using command line when you can use an ide that will help you write your code faster, help debug and compile via one click/or hotkey... unless you are hiding behind that wall because you torrented VS (express 2012 editions don't work with PTVS). I would guess that you were not using VS 2013 at the time you posted.

Get a program called Code::Blocks. It mainly does C/C++ projects, but you can export for CSS, and visual C++.