EmberData

Here are 5 useful tools that I have used in building software. The list is not specific to any language but may be useful to you as a software engineer. It is also not arranged in sequence as in importance or any kind. Here is the list:

1. TeamViewer – This is free for personal use. This is very useful when you are asking assistance from another software engineer or any consultant with regards to something that might need actual demonstration. TeamViewer allows two computers to share the same screen. This makes tutorial easier. http://www.teamviewer.com/download/index.aspx

2. Notepad++ – In the absence of your favorite Software Development IDE, ordinary text editors may not be too helpful for you. Notepad++ provides syntax highlighting and supports many programming languages including C++ and PHP.  http://notepad-plus.sourceforge.net/uk/download.php

3. Hamachi – Sometimes, you will need to simulate a Local Area Network (LAN) to test the connectivity of your program. However, not all the times you are together with your team in one place at the same time. If distance is a hindrance to testing, then use a Virtual Private Network tool like Hamachi. You can test your web server or database server as if you and your team is connected via Local Area Network. http://hamachi.en.softonic.com/download

4. GitHub - It is usually troublesome for a team to have different copies of the same project. This setting provides bigger possibility of inconsistent files among team members. GitHub is a fast, efficient, distributed version control and central repository system which is ideal for the collaborative development of software. You don’t need to worry about having your own server for your files. Let GitHub do that for you. http://github.com/

5. Facebook - We sometimes need to contact our team members through voice and video. Sometimes we use messaging tools such as Yahoo Messenger or Skype. However, we cannot deny the fact that we too sometimes hide from our team due to some inexcusable reasons. Well, no matter how we hide, we often end up social networking sites to relieve our stress. Facebook is one of the top social networking sites (if not number one), where you can find almost anyone you know. Use it wisely. http://facebook.com