This thread is not really helping. 
Let me ask this way. (A) If I write .ino with vim, can I then rename it to .cpp, send it to gcc, and upload the results?
In what way will this differ from (B) pasting the same thing I wrote into vim, into the Arduino IDE and uploading it that way?
I assume under the first hypothetical (A), gcc does the compilation; under the second hypothetical (B), the Arduino IDE has a built-in compiler.
Is all this correct? Does this comparison break down anywhere? (Specifically in sending an .ino file to gcc)?
Are .ino files ANSI standard C89? If not, what standard do they follow? Does Arduino know any C++ or only just C?
Finally, can you use the arduino IDE from the commandline like gcc? Any other differences?
Please tell me the comparison of (A) and (B) and the results. Thanks so much.