My IDE Environment

I like to create a solid work environment. Now that Microsoft has released a new suite of tools, I actually feel I can rely on my environment.


OS

I like to use Windows 2003 Server Standard Edt. as my development platform. It provides a good secure front for your computer in general and also works with games I might add. You have more control on advanced issues and to test out the heavy hitters of Microsoft usually require this OS.

IDE

I chose Visual Studio 2005 Professional as my IDE as I am a Developer/Consultant. It provides you everything you need with nice wizard interfaces for common tasks. The intellisense has been reworked to allow for html assisted intellisense. The load time for most common tasks are fun and friendly. Being trapped in the microsoft experience for so long, the user can assume an option and VS.NET 2005 seems to have a way to do it. HTML editing is more sophisticated and easier to manipulate. If youre like me, you hate having to deal with html and would rather program the back-end. However, when you do have to manipulate it for scripting or looks; VS 2005 makes it easy.

Data Store

I chose SQL Sever 2005 Developer edition as my data store as it allows for a close to enterprise edition database framework. SQL Sever Management Studio is also included. Installation is simple and seamless.

Source Control

Visual Source Safe 2005 gets rid of the common problems VSS 6 had and provides an easy to setup secure method of storing Source. You may choose between the old way of storing source [1 person locking] or have the new merge style.