Best Development Tools - 09 Sep 2002

DATABASE DEVELOPMENT SOFTWARE
In the category Best Database Development Software, two of Quest Software's products—SQL Navigator and Tool for Oracle Application Developers (TOAD)—won the Readers' Choice Award.

SQL Navigator is a PL/SQL development solution that streamlines workflow by adding a drag-and-drop, graphical user interface to the PL/SQL development environment. SQL Navigator speeds the development of Oracle-based applications and combines coding, tuning and debugging, Web development, and version control to deliver high quality applications and save valuable time.

TOAD empowers developers and DBAs to be more productive by providing an intuitive graphical user interface to Oracle. TOAD is a low-overhead tool that makes PL/SQL development faster and easier and simplifies database administration tasks.

Advanced editors let users work on multiple files simultaneously—even different file types such as SQL, PL/SQL, HTML, Java, and text. Hot keys, auto-correct, type-ahead, syntax highlighting, version control, and numerous other productivity features speed development.

SOURCE CODE CONTROL SOFTWARE
When it comes to keeping track of your source code, our readers say MKS offers the best solution. The MKS Integrity Solution is a best of breed, enterprise choice for integrated, cross-platform software configuration management and process and workflow management. MKS Integrity Manager and MKS Source Integrity Enterprise Edition integrate to provide workflow-enabled source control management (SCM) and better overall control of your software development projects. Software development teams will communicate more effectively, improve software quality, implement repeatable processes, increase their productivity, and speed time-to-market.

The MKS Integrity Solution's platform-transparent, advanced, multi-tier architecture is scalable and flexible across local and distributed environments of the enterprise. And MKS Source Integrity Enterprise integrates with other industry-leading developer productivity tools, such as Microsoft's Visual Studio.NET, to leverage existing software investments.

MKS will introduce new versions of Integrity Manager and Source Integrity Enterprise Edition this month.

TESTING/DEBUGGING SOFTWARE
Communication is key for software development teams and the best tool for ensuring that the right level of communication occurs, our readers say, is Rational Software's Rational Suite TestStudio.

Rational Suite TestStudio gives testers precise tools, a better process, and an easier way to communicate in detail with the rest of the development team. Rational Suite TestStudio automates testing the functionality, load performance and reliability of complex applications and architectures. It includes Rational's new, industry-leading technology for testing Java and Web applications and provides testers with an open, extensible testing environment with built-in process guidance and mentoring.

Rational Suite TestStudio ensures that the entire development team has immediate access to test data and metrics, and automatically notifies testers about requirements changes that could affect their tests, saving precious time and preventing confusion. Rational Suite TestStudio lets testers focus on the quality of the software being developed.

WEB SITE DEVELOPMENT TOOLS
Web site development—usually with a requirement to be done quickly—is a common need among businesses today. Our readers selected as the Best Web Site Development Tool Macromedia's Dreamweaver 4/Fireworks 4 Studio, a product that recently has been replaced.

The studio combined Dreamweaver 4, a visual HTML authoring application, and Fireworks 4, a Web graphics application. Since its introduction in December 1997, Dreamweaver has become a leading application for professional Web site design and production. Through its open architecture, it is constantly being broadened, either with emerging technologies from Macromedia and others, or with third-party extensions. Macromedia Fireworks provides a flexible solutions-based approach to design and production of Web graphics.

The Dreamweaver/Fireworks Studio is being replaced by a new line of Macromedia products that include Dreamweaver MX, Fireworks MX, Flash MX, and ColdFusion MX. Dreamweaver MX includes features such as a new workspace; server code libraries for ASP, ColdFusion, ASP.NET, JSP, and PHP; tag editors for HTML, CFML; and ASP.NET; and other rich ASP.NET design functionality.

Macromedia also has announced a new studio called Macromedia Studio MX, which includes the above mentioned products. The new studio offers a completely integrated experience, providing a complete toolset for building rich Internet applications.

WINDOWS DEVELOPMENT TOOLS
InstallShield Software's InstallShield Developer won the Readers' Choice Award for Best Windows Development Tools.

For developers creating Windows Installer installations, InstallShield Developer is a powerful and flexible setup and authoring solution. InstallShield Developer 7 provides complete control of the Windows Installer service (MSI), using more than 20 task-based Wizards, specialized views, and a Direct Table Editor and enabling advanced Windows Installer features such as auto-repair and install-on-demand.

Unique customization requirements and existing installation scripts are supported via InstallScript. In addition, support for the Microsoft .NET platform, Windows XP, 64-bit applications, and easy Web distribution means developers can create installations with any level of complexity, while meeting the next generation of installation requirements.