A Silk Purse…

Well, salvaging the brightest outlook I can from the aforementioned hard drive crash, it does present me with an opportunity to “trim the fat” as it were. So, at first glance here’s the stuff (in no particular order) that will get put back on immediately:

Italicized entries were added after the original post.

1. PostgreSQL – I am currently working a project that is using it so that’s a no-brainer
2. PostGIS – Ditto
3. SharpMap – Ditto
4. ArcGIS 9.2 – I’ll actually finally get to do a “clean” install of this. On my previous system, I had upgraded from 9.0 to 9.1 to 9.2 with various applicable service packs. It’ll be from EDN and be mainly Desktop, Engine, Server and ArcSDE. The bulk of my customers are using ArcGIS.
5. Visual Studio 2005 – I am still working projects that using 2005.
6. Visual Studio 2008 – That’ll help with some the WPF stuff I’m doing, and it’s just the latest and greatest.
7. SQL Server 2005 – A lot of projects using it.
8. SQL Server 2008 November CTP – If you’ve kept up with this blog, you know why.
9. GeoServer
10. Eclipse Europa – I don’t do much Java right now but I like to have an IDE handy. Eclipse is my favorite.
11. Apache – Doing a little work with it in my “spare” time.
12. Microsoft Office 2007 – I can finally upgrade
13. uDig – I use it to verify PostGIS data loads, WFS feeds, etc.
14. FWTools – I’ve recently been living in OGR for one particular project.
15. ArcGIS Explorer – I’ve been building some custom tasks and am using it for a small project.
16. Google Earth – I’ve been getting more requirements lately for GE integration.
17. NotePad++ – My text editor of choice these days.
18. MsSqlSpatial – For spatial data in SQL Server 2005. I’m planning on using it in a project.
19. zigGIS – Again, if you been following this blog…
20. Python – I don’t do much Python scripting but it’s convenient to have around.
21. Microsoft Virtual PC – Included in MSDN. I use it to test various system configurations. I am intrigued by Virtual Box but I already have a bunch of standard images built for Virtual PC.
22. Tortoise SVN – (thanks Paolo) I need this to work with zigGIS on Google Code. Also, I just like it.
23. Firefox – This requires no explanation.

There will be many other smaller utility-type things as well. Things like ArcGIS Diagrammer and SharpReader. I’m also certain there are a few things I have forgotten.

I case you’re wondering, the stuff that’s not making the initial cut includes:

1. Oracle
2. MySQL – I just prefer PostgreSQL.
3. PHP – I don’t do enough with it to have it installed. It’s available to me on a different box if I really need it.
4. Visual Studio 2003 – Haven’t touched it in two years. All of my projects have migrated and working in it is like tying both hands behind my back and pecking with my nose.
5. Visual Studio 6.0 – Echo the comments about 2003 here, although VB6 may make the cut. I still have some legacy code I have to maintain. I am certain that VB6 will never die. It is somewhat interesting that it was easier for me to find a reference link for 6.0 on Microsoft’s site than it was to find one for 2003.
6. Any and all forms of NetBeans – I worked on a Java project a while back as a subcontractor. The prime contractor had absolutely zero configuration management and let each developer use whichever IDE they liked best. I experimented with NetBeans based upon the fervent the recommendation of the one of the other developers but eventually went back to Eclipse.
7. SQL Server 2000 – The lack of CLR support has become such a killer for me that I won’t waste my time with it anymore

There are a few technologies (mostly open-source) that I’m on the fence about so we’ll see.

So now that I’ve shared, let me ask this question: If you were presented with the sudden, unexpected “opportunity” to rebuild your system, what would make the cut for you? What wouldn’t?