Hi Greg,
>[ On Wednesday, February 16, 2000 at 03:10:02 (-0800), Paul Sander wrote: ]
>>Subject: Re: Blinded by philosophy (kinda long)
>>
>>The analogy I would use rather than find/grep is more like
>>cmp/comm/diff/diff3.
>>These all do similar tasks, but in different ways. Do we want all of
>>their
>>in a single, unified, differencing tool? Some people might, others won't.
Greg Wrote:
>
>People who are not tool users want one button to push. People who are
>tool users will always take the device with one button apart and use the
>components in new ways.
>
>Anyone in *this* forum who wants one button to push is in the wrong
>place.
Well, to tell you the truth - I don't even want to push that one button. It
happens that many of the operations of Ver. Cntrl. system can easy be
automated. That is what the integration is all about. Using the Ver. Contrl.
with some sort of IDE (like Visual C++ IDE) makes the task easy to automate.
For example I can tell the VC++ IDE to:
1. Get the files when opening workspace (Update in CVS)
THis one will assure you have the latest in front of your eyes. You will be
in sync.
2. Check out source file(s) when edited.
This one will check-out (or in CVS case "edit") the file if you try to make
changes to it. It will change the Read-Only attribute, so you can check-out
source files with Read-Only set to prevent accidental modifications.
3. Check in files when closing the workspace.
(This would be the commit in CVS). Complimantary to the "1" - will make sure
the repo is in sync.
4. Prompt to add files when inserted.
This one will automatically put the files inserted to the project to the
Ver. Cntrl. It will prevent to leave the files in the sandbox without adding
(if the files is in project, it is likely you want it in the repo as well).
5. Perform background status updates.
It will indicate you the status of files you works on. If someone else will
start to make a changes in the files you work with, you will know it.
6. Use dialog for checkout.
In combination with "2" it will let you to almost forget that you have any
source control - it will all be done automatically.
7. Add new projects to source control.
If you create the new project - you will be prompted if you also want it in
the repo.
There is few more, but I think that will make the point. So, in fact, the
tool user would rather setup the options he wants to use, and he can forget
about all the troubles with Ver. Cntrl. The different approach is for the
tool maker - his job is to make a tool smart enought to do the right things
when the button is pressed. We are a tool makers in this forum, and we
should have some concern for the "users". We (toolmakers) know the mechanics
behind the tool, and we can use it even if it's broken or
difficult/complicated. But we should take care to make a life for the
"users" easier.
My point is that tools users will use the tools in a "smart" way, not the
"hard" way. Hard way is in use only in the special/emergency cases. It's a
shame that CVS is not integrating via SCC API or COM. There in an attempt to
do that thought, but so far it is stuck.
BTW: In the near future the buttons might get obsolete - the commands might
be given by voice. You tell the machine what to do and it will happen. Use
the tool in the smart way!
The button is not doing the job, only the commands invoked after it is
pressed. Smart software has the right buttons and the right commands to
invoke when they are pressed. It is the same with art - even if you have the
most advanced tools for graphics or music, you still need an artist or a
composer to get the things done!
BR,
Jerzy
The first thing they don't teach you at school: "Never say never".
All the issues not related to the list please send to me in private, thanks.
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