I know that I just got a Macbook, but I still have a lot of use for most of these Windows Tools. (I also started working on this before I bought the Macbook and wasn’t going to let it go to waste)
Utility Tools
- AutoHotKey: A must-have whenever I install a new version of Windows.
- Launchy: Launcher for Windows.
- Notepad++: Best text editor I’ve used with tabs and syntax highlighting for various languages among other features.
- Paint.net: Best alternative to Photoshop (and, in my opinion, better than Gimp).
- KeePass: Some people like LastPass or 1Password, but I prefer KeePass since it’s local and gives me a little more piece of mind that it’s secure. I can also get my passwords anywhere by syncing it through dropbox.
- PureText: Ever wanted to just paste text without formatting? All the time! Me too, which is why this tool written by Steve Miller is so great.
- f.lux: Working at night is so much better on my eyes after installing f.lux. I barely notice the difference while working, but afterwards my eyes don’t hurt.
- 7-Zip: Can’t beat this compression utility.
- StrokeIt: Mouse gestures for minimize all, browser back, closing an application, etc.
- Bulk Rename Utility: Powerful tool that makes renaming files a breeze (though it is a little overwhelming at first). Mostly use this for organizing my music and pictures.
- Virtual CloneDrive: Free tool to mount .iso files.
- Foxit PDF Reader: Because Adobe software updates every few days is the most annoying thing ever! This lightweight PDF reader is a great alternative to Adobe Reader.
- VLC: Opens any media file and takes the pain out of finding the right codecs.
- TeraCopy: Faster file copying.
Web
- Chrome: Use this as my main browser.
- Firefox: Use this as my secondary browser for work email and occasionally web development with firebug.
- AdBlock Plus – Be sure to uncheck “allow some non-obtrusive advertising”; otherwise your google searches will show a bunch of ads at the top (and that’s not intrusive?!?).
- Buffer: Share articles to twitter, linkedin, etc. at specific times throughout the day (also have the app on my phone).
Productivity
- Dropbox: Probably my favorite tool and something I can’t live without now. Use it for syncing between my laptop, desktop, phone, and tablets.
- Less Meeting: SaaS that is great for managing meetings through the use of agenda items, attendance, bulleted notes, and action items. The Outlook plugin makes my life so much easier for managing meetings.
- Evernote: Useful for taking quick notes during shorter, more informal meetings, and for jotting down random thoughts.
- RescueTime: Allows me to track my time to see how productive I’ve been.
Development
- Android Studio: Built on top of IntelliJ and has everything I need for Android dev. I also like gradle for building.
- JetBrains Webstorm: Great IDE.
- Visual Studio 2012: I grew up on Microsoft technology, and while some things did change with 2012 (e.g. I really don’t like the menus) I still know my way around.
- BeyondCompare: File comparison tool.
- Genymotion: Much better than Android’s emulators – super fast to start up.
- TortoiseGit: GUI for git that integrates with windows explorer.
- TortoiseSVN: GUI for SVN that integrates with windows explorer.