Build your first plugin without eclipse

Sorry for double posting this but I think added it to the wrong category:

For those of you who have built plugins, is it possible to do so

without installing eclipse, subversion, ant, etc… and if so can you

tell me what the process is?

I have found docs here in the development area, but they talk about

checking out the entire source for openfire, and rebuilding everything

from scratch? that cant be right?!?!

There must be a simpler way to build, update, and deploy a plugin.

How is everyone out there building this stuff?