The Perfect Workflow

Over the last couple of days I’ve been working on a project with Jonathan and due to distance issues we need to get the teamwork done over the net. He found a pretty nice web service called Beanstalk (http://beanstalkapp.com) basically and according to their own description it’s a hosted subversion system.

The find on Jonathan’s side could not have been more perfectly timed for the execution of this project. We set up a repository, upped a copy of the software we are working on and boom! a few mins later we we’re checking out and commiting files like rockstars. Best of all it’s all hosted, so no need to mantain a repository on a server of our own. I highly recommend this service, even if your team is located the same place you are. Worth the price (I don’t say that very often). The Beanstalk -> Basecamp integration is awesome. Beanstalk updates your Basecamp every time changes are made in the repository telling you which team member did what.

I’m not getting into Basecamp, but let me say that for the first time I’m using FluidApp for using Basecamp as a desktop app. Things just kept getting awesome-r by the minute. It really helps to have your Basecamp in your dock, at a single click.

And finally there is Skitch, which Jonathan also introduced me to. At first I thought, “hey it’s just another screenshot app, I dont’t need that”. Was I wrong. Sending screenshots and quick revisions or notes is now a walk in the park. I must say it is the perfect compliment for the workflow.

In conclusion, get Beanstalk to host your files with version control (awesooome), integrate it with Basecamp for your project / team management. And, if working over the net, get Skitch to show off / make notes / screenshots, etc. Also, for the icing on the cake get Basecamp to work with Fluidapp.

Kudos to Jonathan for managing to mashup some web 2.0 services to build the perfect workflow!

Filed Under software, tech