Ever copied code out of MS Visual Studio or some other text editor only to paste a complete mess into your email?  Well, I found a solution: PureText by Steve Miller allows you to copy whatever format of text you want onto the clipboard and easily paste it as plain text into another application using the key-combination of your choice (I like Win-V which is, of course, analogous to Ctrl-V.)  A big time and frustration saver.

Development

• Web Development
• Web Development Helper
• Firefox Developer Toolbar
  
• IE Developer Toolbar
• .NET Reflection/Disassembler
  • Reflector
    
• Regular Expressions
  
  • My Regular Expression Resources
    
• VisualStudio Add-Ins
  • Clean Sources Plus
  • VS2005 Cool Commands
    
  • CopySourceAsHtml
  • SnippetEditor
    
• FileHelpers Library: Read about it here
  
• VS Productivity:
  • CodeRush/Refactor
  • Resharper
  • JustCode!
    
• Business Frameworks
  • CSLA
  • Mere Mortals .NET
    
• Bug/Task Tracking
  • Trac Project - (Free)
  • FogBugz - Not as free, but worth it.  For developers by developers - My favorite
    
• Utility lists
  • Scott Hanselman
  • Matt Williams

Windows Productivity

• Miscellaneous
  • SysInternals - (download it all!)
• Clipboard
  • Clipboard Recorder
    
• Screenshots
  • WinSnap
  • Cropper
• Network Traffic
  • Wireshark (formerly Ethereal)
  • Fiddler
    
• Processes/Tasks
  • Process Explorer
  • TaskSwitchProXP
  • Visual Task Tips
  • Taskbar Shuffle
    
• Desktop search
  • MSN Desktop Search
• Required Reboot
• MS Paint replacement
  • Paint.NET
• Pasting Text:
  • PureText
    
• File Comparison
  • Beyond Compare - Review by Jeff Atwood
    
• Launchers
  • SlickRun (my favorite)
    
  • Launchy
  • Colibri
    

[11/14/06] Added web tools
[10/23/06] Link updates
[8/23/06] Added CSAH, SlickRun, Launchy, Colibri
[5/12/06] Added FileHelpers Library and Bug/Task Tracking
[5/11/06] Added CoolCommands, VS Productivity, and Business Frameworks
[2/28/06] Added WhyReboot
[11/9/05]  Added IE Dev Toolbar
[11/17/05] Added VS 2005 Snippets
[12/5/05] Added Beyond Compare (how could I forget?!?)
[1/24/06] Added Fiddler and WinSnap

I just read two great posts by Jeff Atwood and Brad Abrams about Boolean parameters.  Here's the readers digest version:

Next time you're about to use a boolean parameter in a method, don't.  Enums are much easier to read, especially when the code isn't yours.

When adding a item to your toolbox in Visual Studio from a network share, you may encounter one of the following errors:

• Insufficient state to deserialize the object.  More information is needed.
• The assembly '\\<assembly_path>' could not be loaded.  Check that any dependencies the file requires are installed.
• The file referenced by the shortcut file '\\<assembly_path>' cannot be opened.

The problem is security.  Here's the fix:

1. From the start menu, select [Control Panels] > [Administrative Tools] > [MS .NET Framework x.x Wizards]
2. Click [Adjust .NET Security]
3. Click [Next]
4. Select [Local Intranet] and make sure the slider below is at "Full Trust"
   
5. Click [Next]
6. Click [Finish]
7. Make sure you shutdown and restart Visual Studio before trying to add the items again.

I've read several blog posts over the last several weeks about the direction Microsoft has gone in their product naming, but I thought that Chris Anderson summed up my feelings well: "yes, 'WPF' is pronounced 'Avalon'... the WPF is silent"