Resource Tools

As a software developer, blogger and daily web surfer, I think it would be great if I could share with the rest the tools I frequently used. If you have any of the tools you think is essential but not mentioned, just leave me a comment. I will try it and update it if I find it useful.

Just to let you know, I have 2 computers, one Windows desktop and a Macbook. So I try to pick on the tools that I could have the data synchronized between the 2 machines. Here are some of the tools I used on daily basis.

Blogging

  • Microsoft Live Writer (win) – Microsoft has the best blogging tool and it is FREE! If you are running any blogs, you surely will be using it and won’t look back.
  • MarsEdit (mac) – After comparing this with other tools on Mac, only development of MarsEdit remain active. Quite a lot other blogging tools died down. But unfortunately this is no where near to Microsoft Live Writer.

Hosting

  • HostGator – If you are looking for a web hosting that is affordable, here is the place. Quick and responsive customer service.
  • Exabyte – A Malaysia local web hosting, speed is fast if your visitors mostly come from Asia.
Newsletter Marketing

Web Surfing

  • Google Reader (web) – Recently a lot articles pointing that RSS is dying, but is it really so? I’m totally disagree, at least I know I’m getting over 2,000 web sites updates through Google Reader. Can’t imagine how I can live without it, surfing by clicking the link one-by-one on my bookmarks?
  • Google Chrome (mac/win)- Amazing super fast web surfing experience!
  • Reeder (mac) – An amazing Mac application that integrates the Google Reader, it buffers well all the data into Macbook.

Taking Notes

  • Instapaper (web) – I use it to mark all important notes to be read later or synchronize for web sites among the 2 computers.
  • Evernote (mac/win) – To jot down important ideas and notes. It definitely works well for both my computers.

Hardware Devices

Social Network App

  • Tweetbot (iOS) – Tweeting on iPhone, this is the best iOS app.
  • Hootsuite (web) – I use this for all the scheduling tweets and Facebook status update.

Coding Tools

  • Sublime Text (mac/win)- A code editor I discovered recently and immediately I love it! Lightweight code editor works with charm.
  • Notepad++ (win) – very useful code editor on Windows.
  • TextMate (mac) – Before discover Sublime Text, this is the TextMate I have been using on Mac.
  • Vim (mac/linux/win) – A strong tool I used on Terminal, I think that is the only thing that can help me under Terminal.
  • SmartGit (mac/linux/win) – I use Git a lot of version control. So this is the most impressive GUI works on all OS.

Graphics Editing

  • Photoshop (mac/win) – No need me to say more for this app.
  • Lightroom (mac/win) –  This is a must application to process all my photograph. The work flow is completely smooth by processing all my RAW images to later publish online.
  • Pixelmator (mac) – I use this on mac because I find it is more than enough to fulfill all my requirement.
  • Picasa (mac/win) – It is a quick and fast method to handle my photo and most important is upload to Google Picasa. I have used this after abandoned my Flickr Pro account.
  • Irfanview (win) – Useful image viewer and simple processing features works excellent. Too bad I can’t anything similar and yet lightweight on Mac.

Instant Messengers

  • Windows Live Messenger (win) – After abandoned ICQ, immediately all my friends join MSN.
  • Digsby (win) – A good app that combined all my instant messenger access in one place.
  • Trillian (mac/win) – I use this on Mac, so far I find it has more frequent updates than my previously

File Download

Time Management

  • RescueTime (mac/win) – Getting a weekly report on my time used on computers.
  • Google Calendar (web) – The coolest thing is the free SMS alert whenever I couldn’t online. Also use it to synchronize across different platform and including mobile devices.

File Synchronization

  • Dropbox (mac/win)- I have 13GB of spaces through refer links. Making files synchronize for my 2 computers.

Mailbox

  • Postbox2 (mac/win) – I use this on my Windows desktop.
  • Mail.app (mac) – I used Postbox before OS Lion, but after the upgrade, Mail.app seem to gain back the advantage.