22 March 2012

Source control anyone?

In the same book I mentioned in the previous post, the writers state in their preface that one of the goals of the rules in the book is: 'Each item must need saying'. As an example they give 'Use an editor', and indeed that rule goes without saying.

I thought the same thing about source control, everyone uses source control for a project large enough, obviously. So why put it as a rule in the book?

But then I experienced myself that this rule indeed 'needs saying'. Recently I came in contact with a company -no need to mention names- that does software development in mainly C++, on Linux and Windows, also in assembly... without source control. Without it.

I still can't really believe it and I don't want to know how they have to manage, but lesson learned: the item clearly needs saying.

As I will be moving to another company in May, I already wonder what source control system they use. I silently hope they use Perforce (as does Larian and as does Newfort since I introduced it there). I know it's not free, it's even quite expensive if you ask me, but their P4V tool, together with plugins for 3rd party software is unmatched, at least imho.
I like the idea of git and mercurial, and I've been working with git lately. I think it's a very good system, I only want a client tool that's as good as P4V for it. Mmm, challenge. Nah, don't have the time for it.

Well, off to work then :)

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