Collaboration and Team Tools

Collaboration software allows many users to work on the same project easily; many collaboration systems also have version control, meaning you can check the changes that have been made to your scripts over time and revert to earlier versions if you make too many mistakes. Generally any kind of file - source code, scripts, graphics or music - can be put into a collaboration or version control system.

As an added bonus, if you use a system in which all your work is stored on another server, you can be sure that your files will be safe even if something happens to your computer/files.

Communication
Cbox Chat Skype Forums Xat
 * OS: Internet Browser
 * Description: Customizable and intuitive online chatbox that saves message history. Requires no plugins at all to embed into a page.
 * OS: Windows, Macintosh, Linux
 * Description: Text, call, or video chat with people. Set up group chats, send files, share screens, and connect to Facebook. Most features that you'll use are free.
 * OS: Internet Browser
 * Description: Useful for managing a larger group to keep everyone in the loop.
 * OS: Internet Browser
 * Description: Social networking site with an online chat box. Make friends, join a group, run your own chat, and even place one in your website.

File Cloud Sharing
Cbox Cloud Synch Dropbox Google Drive SparkleShare Synaptop Ubuntu One
 * OS: Windows
 * Description: Manage all your files from Google Drive, Dropbox, box.net, Sugarsync, Huddle, and Skydrive.
 * OS: Windows, Macintosh, Linux, Android, iOS, and BlackBerry
 * Description: Store and access your files anywhere - on the web, on your hard drive, or on mobile devices. Change a file and it updates on every device where you've installed Dropbox. Users are given 2GB at the start and up to 18GB is available through free referrals, even more through monthly subscriptions. Files are safe even if your computer crashes and supports version history. Share a folder with a team and even share files with people who don't use DB with a public link.
 * OS: Google Chrome internet browser, iPhone and iPad, Android devices
 * Description: Similar to Dropbox in that a folder is created and shared with all users connected to it. Users are given 5GB at the start and more space is available with a monthly subscription. Google Drive gives you access to Google Docs, a suite of editing tools including documents, sheets and drawings. Google Docs allows real-time collaboration; you can see others make changes in real-time.
 * OS: Windows, Macintosh, Linux
 * Description: Similar to Dropbox in that a folder is created and shared with all users connected to it. Host it on your own server for more privacy.
 * OS: Internet Browser
 * Description: Browse the internet and collaborate with multiple people, draw on one shared canvas, and store up to 7GB of data.
 * OS: Windows, Macintosh, Linux, Android, iOS
 * Description: Similar service to Dropbox run by the people who make Ubuntu. Users are given 5GB at the start and up to 20GB is available through referrals.

Text Tools
Lucidchart [Google Docs]
 * OS: Internet Browser
 * Description: A tool for making diagrams and flow charts. Allows real-time collaboration.
 * OS: Internet Browser
 * Description: Document editing application that allows for real-time collaboration. Many users can edit one document at one time and place comments on sections. Useful for proofreading as well.

Art Tools
AWW Web Whiteboard
 * OS: Internet Browser
 * Description: An online drawing app that can be used on a computer, tablet or smartphone to draw, useful for planning out early character designs.

Version Control (No Set-Up)
Bazaar TortoiseBzr bzr-gtk Mercurial (HG) Tortoise HG
 * OS:
 * Description: Modern distributed version-control system written by the same people who put Ubuntu Linux together - but it runs on pretty much every system. You can set Bazaar up to use a remote server, but you can also just use it on your own computer.
 * OS:
 * Description: Visual Bazaar client for Windows which allows you to control your source from within Windows Explorer or another application. This client is bundled with the official Bazaar installer for Windows.
 * OS:
 * Description: Provides similar functionality for systems running GNOME and Nautilus.
 * OS:
 * Description: Another modern distributed version-control system, which also allows you to work on your own computer or via a server.
 * OS:
 * Description: Windows Mercurial client which can integrate with Windows Explorer, so you can control your source without using another application.

Version Control (Setup Required)
Git SubVersion (SVN) Tortoise SVN SvnX CVS Tortoise CVS
 * OS:
 * Description:
 * OS:
 * Description: Requires a server to be set up, but includes more-powerful versioning/history controls than are accessible through services like Dropbox.
 * OS:
 * Description: SVN client which integrates neatly into Windows Explorer so you can update and commit changes without starting another application.
 * OS:
 * Description: Graphical SVN client for OSX
 * OS:
 * Description: Grandfather of modern version-control systems, but still widely-used. Like SVN, it requires a server to be set up.
 * OS:
 * Description: CVS client which integrates neatly into Windows Explorer.