IT Pro Tuesday #49

We’re asking you, our community, to help us spread the word about some of the tips and tricks you use to make you more effective at your job. Let us know by email or in the comments below, and we’ll feature them over the next few weeks.  

Now that we’ve got that out of the way, let’s get onto the tools we have for you this week. As usual, we have to go through the disclaimer – we have no affiliation with any of the brands listed below unless we specifically say so.

MSYS2

This is a Windows-based software distribution and building platform. It’s basically MSYS but updated to improve how well it works with other Windows programs. It’s been based on MinGW-w64 and based on modern Cygwin.

You’ll find Autotools, a bash shell, revision control and a whole lot more. It makes it easy to build applications using the MinGW-w64 toolchains. Anonymouspock gave us this tip and said that he uses the program regularly.

The CyberWire

This podcast provides a cross-section of issues affecting cybersecurity. You’ll find the latest news and also interviews with industry movers and shakers. What we like here is that you’re getting factual commentary and not a bunch of personal opinion pieces.

There’s no sensationalism, gossip or marketing buzz to distract from the information. Thanks supermicromainboard for alerting us to this fascinating podcast.

FastCopy

FastCopy is something slightly different. It helps you backup or copy Windows files extremely quickly. It supports over MAX_PATH and UNICODE file pathnames. It’s light on resources and adopts a multi-threaded approach to coax the best performance out of devices.

DoTheEvolution suggested this tip and said it’s the "fastest, comfiest copy I ever used...”  because it works as it should, doesn’t get waylaid by damaged HDD, and can handle long paths too.

Baby Web Server

If you’re looking for an alternative to IIS from Microsoft, this could be it. It’s a simple but highly effective web server. It supports ASP and is very easy to setup.  It’s multi-threaded and gives you a server log that runs in real-time. Lets you configure your directory for different pages and also a default HTML page.

It’s loaded with truly useful features and is extremely user-friendly. FatherPrax brought this one to our attention and loves it for updating esoteric firmware.

High Scalability

This site is useful for those wanting to create websites that are scalable. The site owners have set out to build a comprehensive resource in this area, and they nailed it. It's a great resource that can help you get a headstart when it comes to web development.

Have a great week, and please, share some tips that you’ve learned yourself.