It's your first day on the job, what are the first three tools you install?

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I asked this same question a few years ago on the old STC (I’m unable to find it now though) and the different responses were fascinating. It’s quite simple, what are the first three programmes you install when you start a new testing job?

For the sake of argument, let’s assume you’ve only been given a bog standard installation of Windows.

I’ll get the ball rolling:

  • Chrome
  • Greenshot
  • Notepad++
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Purely personal of course, but for me:

  • Firefox
  • Tarantula
  • OpenOffice
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  • PuTTY (if it requires remoting into linux servers)
  • Notepad++
  • Spotify (if I’m allowed…)
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  • Visual Studio
  • Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio
  • Notepad++
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Had my first day this week…

  • Chrome
  • Notepad++
  • Evernote
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Most are already mentioned, so I’ll add some others:

  • Snagit
  • Fences
  • Xmind
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I do like seeing which tools overlap (last time I did this Notepad++ cleaned the floor with every other tool) but it’s good to see a different take. :slightly_smiling_face:

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Notepad++
Xmind
Rapid Reporter

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Chrome
Texter (atext if on mac)
Launchy (alfred if on mac)

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Chrome
Notepad++
VirtualBox

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Visual Studio
LabVIEW + FPGA
TestStand

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Notepad++
Chrome
Eclipse

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Visual Studio
Notepad++
Screenpresso

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Sublime
Launchy / Wox / Alfred
Greenshot

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Firefox plus extensions
Notepad++
XMind

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  • Chrome
  • Notepad ++ (Only started using this in March '17, it’s awesome!)
  • OneNote (If not there by default)
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I wish we had the choice. In the last few places I’ve worked in the IT systems are locked down and only pre-approved software from a defined list allowed…

Apparently that’s pretty much standard in financial services IT.

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I’m surprised by how everyone seems to be on Windows . . . current position has me on a Mac so things I install on OS X:

  • homebrew
  • Chrome
  • Atom

That’s probably the only universal items. The rest of the tools (IDE, database clients, containers, etc) are going to be specific to the product under test and the work things (office tools, email, chat, VPN, etc) are hopefully pre-installed/on the disk image.

For the times I’m on Windows:

  • Chrome
  • Notepad++
  • Putty - not sure I’d do this anymore now that Win10 has native SSH (haven’t tried it yet)
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My experience of financial services too, systems totally locked down!

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  • Chrome
  • Sublime
  • CCleaner

Just out of curiosity, why do most of you prefer notepad++?

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