Installing and Running Development Tools and Software Locally

I’m a big fan of running certain software locally for several reasons.

• Test and try to see if it’s something you think the organization would need.
• Keep track of your own information (notes, dev issues, etc.) to help improve your efficiency.
• Learn.  You can learn a lot just by installing the software, configuring it, and running it.

Management and the corporate IT departments typically don’t like you doing this because

• it alters the machine from the standard image.
• they don’t want to have to support it
  • FYI, I didn’t ask for you to support it. I’m a developer with the knowledge to do it.
• Security risks
  • Understandable, but I don’t install software from John Doe that I found on an obscure website that hardly gets used or tested.  I’m installing well respected software with a large user community.  It’s already been tested and put through the hoops.  If a malicious piece of code was to be placed in the software, the project would get red flagged everywhere.

Software I run locally:

• Tomcat for
  • Hudson
    • To evaluate and test several build processes
  • JSPWiki
    • To document what I learn on the job
    • Possible Java project that I would like to get involved with
• XAMPP Lite (Apache, PHP, MySQL)
  • Mantis
    • Try and test
    • Document issues and how I resolve them.
• SQuirreL – SQL Client

 

The role of a software developer or engineer is more advanced as you learn and grow.  In the end, isn’t it to make life easier for others by simplifying their life or automating tasks?  Some software makes my life as a developer easier.  New software is developed to do this and I feel we need to evaluate and learn about the options to make better decisions.  Moving forward so to speak, rather than staying in one spot.  There’s a reason we aren’t using typewriters as much (or at all?) anymore. :)