My Cool Tools

Being a software development consultant, I usually work onsite using the client's computer equipment. This means that every year or so, I have to personalize a new development machine and spend the day installing my own box of tools, assuming that I remember what all they were and where I got them. This time, however, I wrote them down as I installed them so that I could list them here, as well as have them available next time (a form of self-Googling).

Scott Hanselman has compiled a platinum, nay Elementium, list of sweet developer tools, from which most of these tools can be found, but a few are not on Scott's list.

• CCleaner - System cleanup utility.
• Chrome - Google's web browser
• CR_Documentor - Nifty Visual Studio add-in that renders XML documentation to a tool window as you write it.
• CutePDF Writer - A PDF writer that installs as a print driver and uses GhostScript.
• Eraser - Secure file delete utility. Good for zeroing out free disk space when compacting virtual hard disks.
• GrepWin - Search and replace text in files with regular expressions from Windows Explorer.
• ImgBurn - Free lightweight CD / DVD / HD DVD / Blu-ray burning application.
• JS Beautifier - Auto-format JavaScript code.
• JSLint - new JavaScript syntax checker/verifier. Predrag Tomasevic created a Visual Studio add-in for JSLint.
• LDAP Browser (Java) - Browse your LDAP forest. Requires Java.
• Meebo - Web-based IM for use when under IT lockdown.
• Microsoft ClearType
  • Online ClearType Tuner - Activates ClearType
  • Consolas Font Pack - Superb font for IDEs (requires ClearType)
• Machine Key Generator - Generate machine keys for ASP.NET applications.
  
• SoapUI (Java) - A unit/load testing tool for web services.
• TaskSwitch XP - A replacement for Alt-Tab functionality.
• WinSnap - Handy screen capture.
• Firefox - The web browsing platform of choice
• Web Developer Pack (LifeHacker) - Includes addons below and more.
• Web Developer extension - A superb suite of tools for web development.
• FireBug extension - Client-side debugger.
• IE Tab extension - Run IE-only pages. Compatible with IE7.
• ColorZilla extension - Color inspector for page elements.
• SlickRun - Replacement for Start-Run. No more poking through the start menu or mucking the system path.
• StudioStyles.info - Online Visual Studio style builder.
• NUnit - Defacto unit testing component.
• TestDriven.Net - A Visual Studio addin that eases unit testing in the IDE. Superb!
• Pidgin (formerly Gaim) - Open source IM client that supports all major protocols. Login to multiple MSN accounts concurrently.
• Maxthon - Tabbed browser for IE. Compatible with IE 7. I still like it better than pure IE 7.
• Tail for Win32 (or BareTail) - Tired of reading log files from the top-down? Read from bottom up!
• BareGrep - Uber text file searching tool. Maybe we should all just install CygWin.
• WinMerge - Open source diff/merge tool.
• Fiddler - HTTP traffic inspector and manipulator. It even has a built-in scripting.
• Fiddler2 - Newer version of Fiddler; supports HTTPS.
• Expresso - A cool regular expression tool. Alternative: Roy Osherove's The Regulator.
• 7-Zip - Open source file compression tool.
• TcpTrace - Simple inspection of HTTP traffic.
• PowerShell - The Windows command shell of the future.
• FxCop - A static analyzer for coding standards.
• Mesh (formerly FolderShare) - Online remote access and folder synchronization for all of your computers. I use it for quick transfer between work/home.
• Reflector + add-ins - Inspect .NET assemblies.
• SysInternals suite - How did I ever live without FileMon and RegMon? New Sysinternals Live!
• touch for Windows - Change the date/time of a file.
• Notepad++, Notepad2 - Windows Notepad replacement.
• UltraDefrag - Open source file system defragger for Windows, including Server 2003; compacts the files, too.
  
• Whidbey Commands - Useful tools in a Visual Studio add-in.
• VS2008
• VS2005: Download and install this then overlay with this and execute Setup.bat from a Visual Studio Command Prompt.
• Windows Server 2003 SP1 Administration Tools Pack - Many useful tools for working with Windows Server 2003, including an Active Directory search and Authorization Manager (AzMan). Runs on Windows XP.
• XSD Object Generator - A better class generator from XML Schema.
• Internet Information Services (IIS) 6.0 Manager for Windows XP - Allows remote administration of IIS6 from Windows XP.

Candidates

These are tools I'm/'ve evaluated that have not been oficially blessed.

• MagicDisc - Virtual CDROM utility. Mount various image formats rather than burn them to disc first. It can also create an image from an existing CD/DVD.
• Easy BCD - Manage Windows Vista (and later?) boot loader entries to boot all your fave OSes.

Colophon: Velvet Acid Christ - Hex Angel, DJ Brad Miller