Useful Applications

[bloc]

Doesn't anybody use EdiPlus(text editor) and Beyond Compare(compare files) anymore..? Both are good, use them all the time.(but I guess its more about what the team use lol)

Also, the "Live Stylesheets" extension for Chrome is rather nice, when all you want is to test CSS edits - better than the Web developer counterpart actually, since it renders everything(unlike web dev which leave out some stuff in live modus)

[DoctorMalboro]

More SVN alternatives? I don't like Tortoise SVN...

[Illori]

you can try smartSVN it is ok, i have not found an SVN client that i really like though.

[DoctorMalboro]

An useful website to find alternatives: http://alternativeto.net/

[IchBin™]

Doesn't anybody use EdiPlus(text editor) and Beyond Compare(compare files) anymore..? Both are good, use them all the time.(but I guess its more about what the team use lol)

Also, the "Live Stylesheets" extension for Chrome is rather nice, when all you want is to test CSS edits - better than the Web developer counterpart actually, since it renders everything(unlike web dev which leave out some stuff in live modus)

WinMerge works just fine for me and I don't have to pay for it.

Gonna have to check out the live Stylesheets one for Chrome. Haven't seen that one yet.

[Lox]

I also reccomend XAMPP

[feline]

IDE and debugger for php .. NuSphere PhpED
Database query checking .. MySQL Query Browser
Document tool .. Doxygen
FTP Client .. WinSCP

[danielwmoore]

I really have to recommend LESS CSS. at http://lesscss.org/.  I include a link because searching for "less" with Google is pretty much impossible if you don't know what other keywords to use.

LESS extends CSS with dynamic behavior such as variables, mixins, operations and functions.

I use WinLess by Mark Lagendijk, which automatically compiles the Less script into CSS every time I save the Less file. 

An example of why it's so important?  Well, I use the variables, list them at the top of my script, like:

Code Select Expand

@body-bg: #C9A788;
@dark: #7F5B3A;
@mediumdark: #815C3A;
@medium: #B08053;

Then I use the variables in the CSS instead of the HTML color, and when I want to change the color scheme of the theme, I don't have to search through the whole Style sheet to find 1000+ instances that need to be changed.  I just change the stuff at the top, recompile, and I'm good to go.

I only discovered it a couple of weeks ago, but wish I had discovered it much sooner.  It has saved me a lot of time.  I plan to convert all my CSS into Less.

[DanCarroll]

XAMPP & Notepad++ are my mainstays. Cpanel instead of FTP. I'm just lazy that way. For a quick prototype of a web page I use Kompozer. I also love the idea of having a portable development/demonstration environment I can use on other computers so I have all of the above (Cpanel is part of the hosting package I use) programs on a USB stick running PortableApps.

I need to investigate a good version control system and a PHP IDE. I have Eclipse but haven't put it to the test yet.

What I really need is a t-shirt that says 'Rather Be Coding'.

[SoLoGHoST]

Opera Dragonfly is built into Opera, I don't see how adding a link to it is helpful in anyway other than letting the user know what they are already capable of being able to do with Opera.  As far as FTP's go, I prefer AceFTP, it's the easiest to understand IMHO.  For condensing PNG images to the smallest possible filesize, use PNGOut - It's a trial version for a period of time, but definitely worth buying in the long run if you create PNG images with Adobe Photoshop or just about any other image editor.  Photoshop doesn't optimize the png images filesize all that good.  So when you run it through PNGOut, it usually cuts the filesize in half, sometimes, more.  Despite what they say, also runs in Windows 7 just fine.  And they even have a Photoshop plugin for Photoshop also.

[Suki]

Opera Dragonfly is built into Opera, I don't see how adding a link to it is helpful in anyway other than letting the user know what they are already capable of being able to do with Opera.

And that is exactly why that link is there, to let people know about Operadragonfly...

[IchBin™]

Or for people like me who don't use Opera that didn't know that. I've heard it's not very good. I'll have to give it a test drive one of these days.

[SoLoGHoST]

Opera Dragonfly is built into Opera, I don't see how adding a link to it is helpful in anyway other than letting the user know what they are already capable of being able to do with Opera.

And that is exactly why that link is there, to let people know about Operadragonfly...

The title of this topic is Useful Applications.  All links link to actual applications that are to be downloaded and/or installed directly to help out with things that are otherwise unable to be done without those links.  Not to try and argue a pointless debate here, but it is my opinion that this is a more informative link, rather than a useful application link.  Yes it is useful, the application is Opera (the browser).  Linking to it, is informative, kinda like sending you a link to Download Firefox as a useful application.

Again, just my opinion.  Am entitled to it hopefully.  Not trying to make any enemies or cause any problems with it either.  And your opinion is that it belongs within those links of useful applications.  Kudos

In any case, it is a great addition to Opera that is built in.  Another reason why I like using Opera over many other browsers.  It's more of a useful bit of information for people that use Opera, or don't use it and would like to just for the ability to use Dragonfly.  In many ways, I prefer using Dragonfly to test webpages with over Firebug, but to each their own.

[Suki]

Opera Dragonfly is built into Opera, I don't see how adding a link to it is helpful in anyway other than letting the user know what they are already capable of being able to do with Opera.

And that is exactly why that link is there, to let people know about Operadragonfly...

The title of this topic is Useful Applications.

Indeed, it is,  where do you see the word "for download"  on it?   on the OP the word "download"  doesn't even appear... I don't know why you assume that...

Not all applications has to be for download...  for example the W3C Markup Validation Service, it is a tool, a handy tool yet you don't download it in order to use it, another example, the SMF Theme Color Editor, is a handy tool too and you don't have to install it in order to use it...

The application is operadragonfly, the link goes to a page where it is explained how to use it...  the link sole purpose is to let people know about operadragonfly that's it, it doesn't have to lead to a download page.

[Chas Large]

I've tried XAMPP but prefer EasyPHP, has a simpler interface and runs SMF just fine with any browser on my Windows Box.

http://www.easyphp.org/

Current version 5.3.8.1 supports PHP 5.3.8 and MySql 5.0.8.

I also use Notpad2 for editing

http://www.flos-freeware.ch/

HTH with the list.

[Illori]

for opera users, i found developer briefcase today, it seems to be pretty useful for css stuff.

[Nimras]

For editing and so forth: http://www.pspad.com/

If you care to install its extra plugins it gets really good i haven't turned back since i got it.

FTP: Total Commander http://ghisler.com/

You will not find anything worthy again, I use this for everything basicly.

Server on my pc: Wamp http://www.wampserver.com/en/ and it seems they made changes to their homepage.

Very easy to configure, update manually and i must say so far it has handled everything i trow at it unlike many others mentioned here.

[Chas Large]

For editing and so forth: http://www.pspad.com/

If you care to install its extra plugins it gets really good i haven't turned back since i got it.

No download link there and the softpedia link returns a 404 error, so where do we get it from?
[EDIT] Found it, you need to click the flag / language icon.

[ethankcvds]

I've been using AMPPS recently for my localhost work. It's free and includes Softaculous so you can install web applications locally .

[Adrek]

How can I open Softaculous? After I installed this I had access, but now  I can't find any link to it :|