Building my toolbox

[foozball3000]

Long story short, even though I'm a development programmer, we spend most of our time in Data Analytics. So, we've mostly only coded our own tools and therefore we haven't picked up a lot of the basic skills that any other developer will have.

I figured that I'll start by getting a few software tools.
From the book that I've just read about programming, it seems that my current set of tools are equivalent to the stone age.

Its probably worth it to note that I can code... that's about it. And from the whole process of developing software, that's only 20% (Or should be).

So here's the list:
Version Control Software - For starters, free. If it proves itself in our environment, then I'll find a way to get our boss to purchase it.
Some sort of project planning and designing tool. - Currently I'm using good old pen and paper for all my software designs.
...anything else?

 

[dequadin]

So here's the list:
Version Control Software - For starters, free. If it proves itself in our environment, then I'll find a way to get our boss to purchase it.

Source Control.
I assume you're using Windows.
Get VisualSVN it the windows version of a SubVersion repository server. Totally free and used very professional.

If you're using Visual Studio get AnkhSvn it's the best plug-in for VS to access the SubVersion Repository.

If you're using *Nix or Eclipse there are versions of these two available.

 

[Veroland]

TortuiseSVN is also good

for design a not too expensive option is Magic Draw

 

[foozball3000]

Source Control.
I assume you're using Windows.
Get VisualSVN it the windows version of a SubVersion repository server. Totally free and used very professional.

If you're using Visual Studio get AnkhSvn it's the best plug-in for VS to access the SubVersion Repository.

If you're using *Nix or Eclipse there are versions of these two available.

We use quite a few languages... and do a lot of rewrites. So it's really hard to keep track of what version you're coding. If we're lucky, we get to code something sensible on Visual Studio.

 

[dequadin]

We use quite a few languages... and do a lot of rewrites. So it's really hard to keep track of what version you're coding. If we're lucky, we get to code something sensible on Visual Studio.

Well VisualSVN is just a Windows box somewhere on the network you use as the source repository. It you want a *nix box as the repository, then just get the *nix version of SubVersion.

If you aren't always in VS, then (as was suggested) get TortoiseSVN there are Windows and *nix versions available and it's a shell extension. So you can have source control with anything.

 

[Veroland]

If you aren't always in VS, then (as was suggested) get TortoiseSVN there are Windows and *nix versions available and it's a shell extension. So you can have source control with anything.

Yep, putting subversion on a *nix box and use apache2 webdav to access it through http and use LDAP for authentication works very well.

 

[greggpb]

Source control
SVN with tortioseSvn or Ank..

Then ArgoUML for design

Something like dotProject

these sugesttions are all team based if you just want to manage yourself.. its a bit different