This tool was developed mainly because i felt working with the standard tools for Sharepoint development didn't quite fullfill my needs for rapid application development. After working almost 5 years daily with different Sharepoint projects i found that a lot of time is spent on experimenting, like writing CAML and other XML based configuration frequently used in WSS and MOSS. Re-build and re-deploy WSP:s was unfortunately not time effective, nor did writing custom deployment scripts for every visual studio solution i was working with doing it for me. Instead I began to write SPVisualDev with focus on real-time sync of files against the 12-hive which is where you spend a lot of time when working with WSS / MOSS development. Then a lot of ideas came up of different features that would cut time in development phase which are the features you can find in SPVisualDev today.

I work for a consultant company based in Stockholm, Sweden and have worked with STS, WSS 2.0 & 3.0, MOSS development for almost 5 years now and I have seen the product evolve to what it is today. We have made a lot of implementations and installations during these years with a good rate of success. Sure there are quirks and things one can wonder why is it doing so?? That happens almost everyday as many of you surely would agree on. Well, somehow, I have accepted that things are as they are and I'm sure there are things that could improve in the future with the WSS and MOSS products. As it stands today it is a great product for different collaboration and content management scenarios etc.

I'd like to thank the great community out there for the great information source and sharing of experience. You know who you are!
I'd also like to thank my collegues at work and specially Sigge P who has helped me put toghether all the information found here on this site.

Have fun!

Tony Restaino
tore7506@hotmail.com