- LyX (http://www.lyx.org) for my thesis/conference papers etc. It's the greatest tool available for preparing any document longer than six pages and that needs to look good.
- BibTeX for references (although Zotero is more current and excellent for collecting references online - it's a Firefox plugin and exports BibTeX if you want it to). I can also vouch for Mendeley as mentioned by another commenter, although I've only used it briefly.
- JabRef for managing my BibTeX database.
- Source code control! I wasn't as organised as I should have been with this and regret the amount of time it wasted me. Set up an svn/git repository as soon as you start developing any code, and use it!
- A good text editor: I know I'd be loath to suggest one on here so that's all I'll say on the topic :-)
- Dropbox wasn't around when I did my PhD, but it would be a must-have tool for a grad student. Backup your work!
- Powerpoint/Impress/Keynote. Don't get seduced by the LaTeX Beamer templates. They will get you geek cred but that's the only benefit.
- A calendar/organiser: Not that I ever got organised enough to use one, but if you want to finish within four years then it'd pay to get yourself organised.
The ones that got me through my PhD were:
- LyX (http://www.lyx.org) for my thesis/conference papers etc. It's the greatest tool available for preparing any document longer than six pages and that needs to look good.
- Gnuplot for preparing figures and charts (gnuplot on its own isn't that pleasant to use, but gnuplotme is a script that makes life must easier (http://www.jamjoom.net/tools/gnuplotme/gnuplotme.html)).
- BibTeX for references (although Zotero is more current and excellent for collecting references online - it's a Firefox plugin and exports BibTeX if you want it to). I can also vouch for Mendeley as mentioned by another commenter, although I've only used it briefly.
- JabRef for managing my BibTeX database.
- Source code control! I wasn't as organised as I should have been with this and regret the amount of time it wasted me. Set up an svn/git repository as soon as you start developing any code, and use it!
- A good text editor: I know I'd be loath to suggest one on here so that's all I'll say on the topic :-)
- Dropbox wasn't around when I did my PhD, but it would be a must-have tool for a grad student. Backup your work!
- Powerpoint/Impress/Keynote. Don't get seduced by the LaTeX Beamer templates. They will get you geek cred but that's the only benefit.
- A calendar/organiser: Not that I ever got organised enough to use one, but if you want to finish within four years then it'd pay to get yourself organised.