Tools
Through the process of switching jobs, I have compiled my list of tools that I use to improve my productivity. As most developers can attest, it is hard to get a new tool into the toolbox. When you start using a new tool, there is a period of time where it actually makes you less productive as you learn how to use it. So when a tool makes it into a developer’s toolbox (at least mine), it is a pretty impressive accomplishment.
Here are the tools that are in my toolbox (in no particular order).
JetBrains ReSharper
This is the only Visual Studio plug-in that I use. It enables you to rename classes, variables, methods, etc. and it goes through a solution and does the replacing.
TestDriven.NET
I am a big believer in unit testing. TestDriven.NET plugs right into Visual Studio and will run your NUnit tests. Simply right-click a project, class, or test and choose “Run Test(s)”. You can also run your test in a debugger.
Snippet Compiler
Why does MSDN not show the output of the sample in its .NET framework docs? Frustrating. With this app, you can quickly paste in your code, run it, and see the actual behavior (without creating a new project).
Tray-It!
I hate Taskbar clutter. There are a lot of applications (e.g., e-mail, command lines, etc.) that I don’t use a lot, but frequently enough that I want quick access. Tray-It! will actually minimize any application to your system tray by Control-clicking the minimize button.
Search and Replace
This tool is simply invaluable. Ever needed to find every file that contains a string? Or replace a string? Wanted to do it using a regular expression? Only search files? Exclude specific files?
Outlook Quote Fix
I prefer to write my e-mail in plain text. For some reason, I just don’t like HTML e-mail. But, when replying to an e-mail in Outlook using plain text, Outlook doesn’t prefix the previous message so it is easy to see the original message and the reply. Not only that, but it puts your response above the message to which you are responding. This is a big Netiquette no-no. Outlook Quote-Fix solves both problems.
Process Explorer
Think of it as the Task Manager on steroids. The single most useful feature: find out which application has locked a file you are trying to edit.
Firefox
I can’t live without Firefox and two of its extensions: Web Developer and the JavaScript Debugger . I also love Tab Mix Plus , as it puts close buttons on each tab.
Putty
I think this is pretty well regarded as the defacto SSH client for Windows. Why Windows doesn’t come with support for ssh is beyond me.
WinSCP
As more and more web hosts switch to using SFTP, this is the best free client I have found.
Vim
My text editor of choice.
Trillian
This instant messaging application that supports AIM, ICQ, MSN, Yahoo Messenger, and IRC. The Pro version supports Jabber. Consolidate all your IM apps into one.
