Must....Reach...uTOOLity Belt....

Every handyman needs his tools. And as a computer scientist, consider me to be a software handyman. So how are tools useful to me as a computer scientist? Well besides helping me program and communicate with other developers. Here are some of the tools I've picked up this semester, and what I've used them for:

Programming

• BlueJ - Very straightforward editor for Java programs. It doesn't have as much functionality as IDEs I've used for other languages, so I will be looking for another IDE soon.
• Notepad++ - Surprisingly enough, I use this for my C programming. It even has a language option that does syntax highlighting based on the specified language.
• Cygwin - Program that allows you to compile and run your C code.

 Documentation

• Microsoft Office - For all your documentation needs, whether that be Word for word processing, or PowerPoint for presentations
• Adobe Photoshop - Used primarily for designing posters for presentations
• InDesign - Used to make QR Codes
• EasyBacklog - Good for Agile development process, can use this website to create user stories and product/sprint backlogs.

Sharing & Communication

• Google Drive - Can create and store documents online. Google Drive also supports shared editing, so many users can work on a document at the same time. This is my "goto" for all document editing from now on.
• Dropbox - Provides cloud storage of files. You can use Dropbox to share files across people and/or computers. I personally use this application to synchronize my important files across all my devices.

One way tools are changing is that they are becoming more web-based. With the improvements in internet speeds over the last decade, there has been an increased emphasis on cloud technology. Using web-based tools removes the need to have to download a tool in order to use it, removes having to install updates for that same tool, and allows for instant data sharing across devices and users that utilize that data.

Sources:
. (n.d.). . Retrieved May 6, 2014, from http://us.123rf.com/400wm/400/400/violin/violin1103/violin110300083/9061049-computer-keyboard-with-tools-key--technology-background.jpg