I accidentally called a recruiter a Hoe once. I was replying to an email i had gotten and meant to say "Hope you've been doing well" but it auto corrected to "Hoe, you've been doing well". Maybe it was my subconscious sneaking out.

I can't handle the existential crisis this brings. What...is...real?

For those that you want to explain your tech stack a little more in depth. In your example you could explain the cost savings of mysql vs other databases (ex: sql server). Everyone enjoys hearing how they can save money. With MVC frameworks you could detail how it is in theory easier to maintain due to separation of concerns and in turn, easier to have other developers working on the code base.

If you are able to, throw the work on github. Then in the readme file on github write a high level outline of what the code itself is/does that is fancy with little snippets and why it is quality code/what the current "normal" way of achieving the functionality you've implemented on the backend is, then why the way you went about it is better. This way those that want to dig into your repository and see all of your code can do so while others who are satisfied with the readme don't have to figure out why your backend code is fancy.

Just get it working is a common thought process in a lot of companies. The end user doesn't care if you're code is neatly organized and beautiful or that you used the latest and greatest framework that has super duper cool functionality...they only care that the application works. Compound that with managers who aren't technologically inclined (people managers), this thought process is even worse. You apparently have been extremely lucky in your career, incompetence is a real problem in all industries...programming is certainly not excluded from that.

The best advice i have for you is to build up a portfolio of apps/websites you've done for people/companies/non profits. People can talk all day long about what they can do, but if you can show it too...that is what will help set you apart. If you don't have a portfolio, maybe start out volunteering your time to help build websites for shops in your area who don't have one or build an app for a store who may want to start collecting info for a newsletter campaign...or whatever a need is in your area that you may be able to help with building a custom app. Brochure type websites are an easy place to start though. If you are really really rusty, any of the free sites that help you through learning the basics of the language is a good start too. Something like codecademy i think is free (i havent looked in a long time). Can't go wrong with learning python/ruby/c#/java, and i would recommend picking up javascript and learning that as well. Also, i don't know where you live but if there are meetups for anything you are interested in attend those and start to network that way as well.

Could take a look at Intellij by Jet Brains. I do some java development for work and don't like eclipse either...im just too lazy to do anything about it but i've heard nothing but good things about intellij. http://www.jetbrains.com/idea/[^]

Yep thats the Jira that BobJanova mentioned

I use tortoise svn. If there are any negatives at all to it, i would say that it makes the user gui dependent. Other then that its a solid product and hasn't failed me yet.

Didn't Vista take out DVD play back as well? Maybe it is every other version of windows they remove dvd playback...test the waters...see who still finds it useful.