Migration time is here again!

Winds of change are blowing through our computers at Bits And Pixels...

We're finally switching over from Microsoft Office and Outlook to Open Office, Mozilla Thunderbird and Mozilla Calendar. Unfortunately, the OS of choice remains Windows XP since Flash MX 2004 doesn't run flawlessly on Wine/CrossOver yet (then again, Flash MX 2004 doesn't run flawlessly on Windows either so maybe there isn't too much to worry about!) :P

In an effort to embrace open source a little better, we're also going to be saying goodbye to our Mac server, which we've been using for CVS, in favor of a Linux server (this will coincide with a switch from CVS to Subversion in the coming days.)

Other great open source software that we're currently using:

  • Mozilla FireFox web browser
  • Dia diagramming tool (Windows installer)
  • FoxServ (Apache, MySQL, PHP, etc. single-click installer for Windows)
  • DBDesigner 4 (visual database design tool)
  • Eclipse (universal IDE)
  • NNTP//RSS (use your newsreader to read RSS feeds).
  • RealVNC (open-source remote control software -- run through an SSL tunnel for security.)
  • Putty (& Puttygen, Pageant, etc.; SSH)
  • TortoiseCVS and TortoiseSVN (excellent Windows Explorer shell integration for CVS and Subversion)
  • Apache Tomcat
  • OpenAMF (J2EE) and AMFPHP (PHP)
  • Not open source, but great free applications:

  • CSDiff by Component Software.
  • GRC.com security apps (Shields Up! and LeakTest)
  • No! Flash - A great tool for temporarily disabling Flash in IE
  • MM-Exporter (for backing up DW, Flash & Contribute settings & sites)
  • Iceows (great unzip utility)
  • Not free but worth-every-penny, joy-to-use applications:

  • Action Script Viewer (ASV)
  • PrimalScript
  • As Soon As Present (ASAP)
  • Trend Micro Internet Security (previously called PC-cillin; anti-virus, firewall, etc.)
  • Tiny Firewall (best darn software firewall there is -- keep Trend Micro's one on the "Low" setting when using both.)
  • Sonic Foundry (now, unfortunately, Sony) Sound Forge, Acid & Vegas Video
  • Adobe Photoshop
  • Adobe After Effects
  • Software we use because we have to:

  • Macromedia Flash MX 2004 Pro
  • Macromedia Dreamweaver MX 2004 Pro
  • Software we'd like to use but can't afford:

  • Macromedia Flex :)
  • This list is definitely not meant to be exhaustive (you only realize the wealth of software that goes into a development company when you start to take careful inventory) and more links and applications may be listed here in the future.

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