To celebrate the tools that make Windows developers’ lives easier - and the people who’ve created them - we’re unilaterally declaring Friday, January 19th to be Windows Developer Tools Day. It’s an ad hoc and spontaneous effort on our part to draw attention to the growing number of free and Open Source software (FOSS) tools that support developers who do their work on the Windows platforms.

We chose the date to coincide with the final day of CodeMash, a high-energy gathering of developers taking place in Sandusky, Ohio this week. We’re also launching a new title, Windows Developer Power Tools, by Jim Holmes and James Avery, which documents more than 170 of the FOSS tools available today for Windows.

Want to join in? Here’s how. First, take a few minutes to think about the tools you use, the ones you couldn’t do without, or the tool that’d make your job easier, if only you knew where to find it. Or write about a tool that you’ve developed. Then, take part in Tools Day by doing one of the following:

• Blog about your favorite tool and why you like it
• Post a free copy of your favorite tool (if it’s legal, that is)
• Tell how a tool saved your life
• Describe a tool you’d like to see

Send a link to your blog to  powertools at oreilly.com. We’ll post your link and point to your comments from our site. It’s a great way to bring attention to the tools developers rely on and the people who’ve created them, as well as stirring up some innovation for much-needed tools that don’t exist yet. We’re always looking for good ideas here at O’Reilly, so jump in and share your thoughts. Feel free to mention the book too: “Windows Developer Power Tools.”

If you don’t have a blog, then Digg this story. Send a note to  powertools at oreilly.com to let us know that you Dugg it.

[tags]Windows Developer Tools Day, O’Reilly, FOSS, Open Source, Windows Developer Power Tools, Jim Holmes, James Avery[/tags]