Linux and open sourced software is the preferred operating system for all future development.
The main software packages used for application development are:
Gambas - a visual basic like clone
MySQL - similar to SQL server
sqlite3 - a self contained sql database system suitable for embedded devices to most applications
gcc - contains a C compiler
apache - web server
QCAD - for 2D CAD drawings
k3d - for 3D
blender - for 3D
xmaxima - for mathematics
gimp - for image editing and converting images to C code
open office - for spread sheets, documents, presentations and translucent drawings
virtualbox - for running other OSes in virtual machines
seamonkey - for HTML WYSIWYG editing
kdiff3 - shows difference between files
doxygen - a tool for documenting C and other programming languages in HTML format
There are many other interesting applications like for example twinkle for VoIP with source code,
nexuiz - a brilliant 3D first person game with source code and festival a speech synthesis
program, each of which could be modified to heart's content to create new applications.
For example, Gambas has been used to make applications talk using the festival speech synthesis
system. This was a security application that emits verbal alerts.
Synaptic the package manager has 20,000+ applications with source code all of which
could be potentially be interfaced to Gambas and controlled from there.
No other system in the world is as powerful as Linux and open source when it comes
to getting jobs done because source code is available to the developer to make applications
do interesting things on demand without having to spend time licensing software or sign agreements.
There are many Linux distributions available.
The preferred choice is Ubuntu with Compiz set to 3D translucent desktop
Web sites that collate Linux distributions can be found from these two links
http://www.distrowatch.com
http://www.livecdlist.com
All the Linux distributions and liveCDs listed at these two web sites are free to download and use.
The "free" is usally meant to mean "free as in freedom not price".
Typically what that means in practice is that you can download it free but if you need tech support either use some
of the free tech support forums or get direct support by paying for support from the distro maker.
Paying for the tech support or making donations to the project that is important to you is how the project is kept alive.
The more useful an open source project is, the more dontations it can receive.
If you are deriving commercial benefit from a project, then by all means make bigger donations and an even better
thing you can do is engage the developers directly and give them contracts to make improvements to the product
so that you can derive extra benefits from the software.
Contact
Custom Linux PCs, netbooks with networking and software pre-installed can be supplied to specification.
Also custom software written in C/C++, sqlite3, MySQL, gambas can also be supplied.
Describe in detail the work needed to be undertaken and a quotation will be sent to you.
sales: research@enemygadgets.com