Stuff I ...
... wouldn't want to live without
Awesome tool to help that helps keep me organized. I love this app!
Best tool for data analysis out there - hands down.
I resisted Visual Studio for a long time - even going so far as to write my own editor at one point. But with VS 2003, the product improved enough that I gave up actively looking for an alternative. With VS 2005 and now VS 2008, I've completely given up switching. I do keep an eye on Eclipse, SharpDevelop/MonoDevelop, and SlickEdit but no longer consider them as viable alternatives for my development tastes.
Awesome assembly analysis tool with many indespensible plug-ins.
This is the OS I use at home and at work. It is secure, fast, and reliable.
This is what Task Manager should have been. If I had any say in it whatsoever, it would be default in Windows 7. This can be executed live from the web if you want @ https://live.sysinternals.com/.
I have virtual machines running Windows 7, Vista, and Windows Server 2003 with SQL Server 2000, SQL Server 2005, SQL Server Katmai, Visual Studio Orcas, and a few other applications. Performance is great and convenience is unbeatable. The upgrade to SP1 is worthwhile. And be sure to look at VMRCplus.
The Windows Explorer changes brought with Vista and Windows Server 2008 had some positives but not enough to outweigh the negatives. I needed a replacement and found it. I'm now a daily user of FreeCommander. Check it out.
Plays almost every format I throw at it. The only feature it is missing is time compression.
A good and free mind mapping tool. It's not as feature packed as others like MindManager and it unfortunately requires Java, but for the price it can't be beat.
MS Paint hasn't had a visible upgrade in a long time. Paint.NET is what I wish we included in Windows.
Great feed reader with good searching capabilities and the ability to keep itself in sync with NewsGator Online. Plus, it can be run as a portable app.
I keep quite a bit of data on my flash drive. TrueCrypt helps keep my personal data personal. Very fast, easy to use, and has support for Vista x64.
Zune
Bose Quiet Comfort 3 Noise Cancelling Headphones
I ride the bus to and from work most of the time for two reasons. First there is the obvious savings on gas and insurance and wear and tear but second it gives me a good chance to catch up on any podcasts, tv shows, reading, or email. The combination of the Zune and Bose noise cancelling headphones is great because I can enjoy whatever I'm watching/listening to without having to have the volume turned all the way up.
No need to describe why I enjoy the XBoxes - partly for the games but also partly for the media center capabilities. The enjoyability of the Wii surprised me - I love playing Mario Party 8 with my wife and son.
...am keeping an eye on
The tagline says it all: Your Media on Your Devices - Anywhere Anytime, In the Home or on the Go, Free!
...waste time on
If you don't have plenty of free time on your hands, don't follow this link.