You remember Guiffy (pronounced "goofy"). It is a powerful multi-platform utility for visually comparing and merging source files, folders, and even file trees. Developers find it indispensible for managing software development. Others find it useful for simpler tasks like comparing and merging text files.

We first saw what a versatile development tool it is at our meeting in February 2002. This month we had lead developer Bill Ritcher of Guiffy Software back to show how he's updated the software. It is an impressive list of improvements:

• version 4.0 - March '02:
  • Ignore Regular Expressions
  • Ignore Blank Lines
  • Ignore options - Compare and/or Merge
  • Ignore File Types - Folder Compares
  • Smarter SureMerge
  • Java 1.4.0 Support (OOOOOOOPS). But, 25% faster, FileTrees 2X faster, and RemoteX 10X+ faster
• version 4.2 - May '02:
  • Performance Improvements
  • Clickable Scroll Meters
  • Char-by-Char inline diffs
• version 4.5 - July '02:
  • ComparEdit
  • MergEdit and da Flipper
  • Gutter shading
• version 4.6 - September '02:
  • Folder Compare options
  • CVS integrations
  • Merge Checkpoint / Resume
• version 4.7 - November '02:
  • TreeView multiple selects
  • MacOSX MenuBar and Shortcuts
  • File Swaps
  • Singular Compares
• version 5.0 - March '03:
  • Quick Shift - file compare from folder compare
  • Multi-File dialogs
  • Wrapn ToolBars
  • Config. folder
  • Find enhancements
  • OpenVMS Support
  • MacOSX launcher

It's no wonder that Guiffy gets the top rating by Tucows for Windows, Mac, and Linux (OS/2 applications aren't rated there). In fact, it is the first product to garner the highest Tucows rating for all three operating systems at the same time.

SCOUG president Tony Butka was inspired by the presentation as he explains in his President's Message for May 2003.

Thanks to Dave Watson for the photo from the meeting.

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