Filebox Extender Now Freeware

One of my favorite Windows utilities has just become freeware. Check out Hyperion’s Filebox Extender. Download and install it, and wonder how you ever got by without it. Plus, it won’t run on Vista, which IMHO is an added bonus!

Top 5 Low Cost Tools for Web Development

I’m compiling a list of the tools I find most useful on a day to day basis for PC-based Web development projects.  I do most of my work in straight up HTML/CSS, JavaScript, or PHP these days.  The programs I list here are smaller, low cost (and often freeware) types of tools rather than the ones developed by the behemoths that are Adobe and Microsoft.  As a dynamic Web developer, I find these tools great for coding, but I’m sure graphic designers and visual developers would choose a different list.  So, here are my top 5 for the moment:

5. Allway Sync.  While not technically a development tool, this is GREAT for making backups of projects and moving files between computers on a USB drive.  And, the synchronization algorithm actually seems to work.  It is reasonably priced at between $20 and $30, depending on whether you purchase it during a special promotional period or not.  I’ve been using this one for a couple years now.  There is a trial version available, but it will complain if you use it too heavily and nag you to buy the full version.  Well worth it, in my opinion.

4. Anry Color Picker.  This nifty (and free) little program allows you to move the color picker from outside your graphics program to grab colors from any Windows application or file saved on your hard disk.  You can select a color and then have its RGB code copied to your clipboard to paste into a style sheet or PHP file.  Sweet.  I just discovered this handy little app a few months ago, but have used it several times since then.

3. Firebug.  Firebug is a robust plug-in for Mozilla Firefox that enables tracking and debugging of JavaScript errors and monitoring of all sorts of other processes.  I’m still learning how to configure all the options, but one of my favorite features is the ability to monitor XmlHttpRequests through the built in console rather than writing explicit debugging code or opening up your server-side files directly from the browser.  IETab, an extension to render the page in Internet Explorer 6 from within Firefox is a close runner up, but it is a bit buggy, particularly with heavy JavaScript or AJAX code.

2. Xenu’s Link Sleuth.  Investigates broken links and builds custom reports for you based on the results.  Hmmm, now that is something Web developers might find useful … oh, and did I mention it was freeware? 

1. EditPlus.  My number one tool for development would have to be EditPlus.  Small, lightweight, fast, efficient, and configurable, with built in support for S-FTP so I can work directly from the server.  Its backup saving option has saved my butt three times this week already.  It costs $30, but it’s worth every penny.

Other runner-ups: Total Commander (awesome hybrid of old school DOS power with Windows GUI convenience and speed, but I just don’t use it that much), WinSCP3 (use daily, but more of a communications tool than a development tool), and ClipMate (great clipboard management tool).

I’m still looking for an all-in-one suite that will handle many of these functions from within a single program.  I’m also on the hunt for a nice program to preview different resolutions without having to fiddle with my desktop’s display properties, though this Web site is a nice start. 

Anyone have their own list they would like to share?

F. Paul Wilson & Windows Live Writer

I’ve been on a new author kick lately after finally finishing the Dark Tower series and reading some of Dean Koontz’s newest stuff (The Husband was really good).  Over the past couple weeks I’ve read the first four novels in the Repairman Jack series by F. Paul Wilson.  If you haven’t read any of his stuff, you should check out The Tomb and see what you think.  He has a really unique blend of horror and action/adventure writing that actually works very well.  The premise of the series is that there is this “repairman” who fixes problems that you might not be able to fix with conventional methods.  That premise is enough to get me started on the first book, but Jack’s increasingly paranoid personality and his incredible run of bad luck is what keeps me reading.  I’m on book five (Hosts) now, and I actually enjoyed the one right before this (All the Rage) the best so far.  The scene where he is driving along and has a case of chemically-induced road rage had me rolling on the floor laughing.  Good stuff, I promise.

On a completely unrelated note, I’m writing up this post using Windows Live Writer.  The Web site boasts that this product will make it easier to produce compelling blog posts, which is good, since my first two were rather boring.  It’s actually really neat software so far: no lag while I’m typing, and it seems to work with all different types of blogging services.  Plus, I found a nice extension for Firefox that will make my life a lot easier.

Cool stuff?  You can add your ping mechanism to Technorati from the Tools, Preferences tab.  It doesn’t look like you can do that from WordPress, though they promise to take care of that for you.  Control-K will add a hyperlink, just like in Word or Powerpoint.  No lag when typing entries.  The extension I mentioned above.  Nice interface for adding links, pictures, tags, and maps.  I’m fairly impressed! 

Drawbacks?  So far, I don’t see any way to add new categories from the software, which is a pain for new bloggers like me.  PC only; ain’t gonna work on a Mac. Also, it seems to have a problem displaying certain formatting conventions, like my 100 Ways posting looks really messed up in this interface.  The software is still in Beta, though, and hopefully this won’t be a perpetual Beta like Google’s stuff.  It’s worth the few bugs though just not to have that server lag on every word I type.  I mean AJAX is great and all, but come on, man!

Here’s a picture of the interface: