My Tools of the Trade
Thursday, August 7th, 2008Whenever I learn a new set of skills—such as photography or cooking—I want to learn as much as I can about the tools that the pros use.
Sure, to learn photography you need to understand exposure and depth of field, but that’s only part of what it takes to be a real photographer, to be a good photographer. What camera and lenses should you buy? What brand of film? I even pay attention to borderline ridiculous details like what kind of camera bag the pros use. Learning first-rate cooking skills won’t do you much good if you don’t have a good set of pans. Any chef will tell you that having quality, sharp knives make a world of difference in the experience of cooking, even though it may not change the flavor. And, as I love to watch Gordon Ramsay scold, keeping a clean kitchen is an essential (and too often overlooked) step in producing quality food.
The point is that there is more to learn than just the fundamentals. It makes sense to learn from the trial-and-error experience of people who are already working with these tools everyday. I may decide I disagree with their preferences, but knowledgeably making a different choice is much better than stumbling around on my own. Plus in the process, I know I will discover some of the intricacies and pitfalls that come with working in the field.
In that spirit, here are the tools that help me as a web developer.
