Software application development
This blog is intended to provoke discussion and exchange between like minded software application developers, engineers, architects, project managers - and keen hobbyists too.
Tuesday 30 September 2008, 10:50 AM
Is Microsoft’s ‘Democratic’ ALM really a ‘Republican’ Party Reptile?
Codenamed ‘Rosario’, according to Microsoft the new product is capable of ‘democratising’ application lifecycle management (ALM) by uniting the members of a development shop from, “The core developers and testers to the wider team of project managers, designers and business analysts.”
There are, admittedly, new collaborative modelling tools aimed at techies and non-techies (let’s call them “civilians” for fun) in this next iteration of everyone’s favourite (or not) developer tools and platform. They do indeed feature UML and Domain Specific Language support and sit alongside Microsoft’s Oslo repository, tools and language.
As previously reported, there are also new testing capabilities and new workflow-focused wizardries for Windows converts to gorge on. But is ‘democratisation’ a dangerous word to use?
Apart from Bill Gates’ own admirable philanthropic efforts, Microsoft is perhaps not immediately associated with being the most altruistic company on the planet.
I’m not up for a political debate, but quite apart from jarring with me as one of the key themes of this week’s announcement, perhaps software application development should not be an essentially egalitarian process anyway. That’s why team leaders, project managers and CIOs exist isn’t it?
A sceptic might suggest that this is not democratisation at all and that this is spreading a wider penetration of Microsoft technologies more deeply into the organisation – and that this ultimately puts more power in the hands of management, which may not always be a good thing.
PreviousComments on this post
I think we need to take a pragmatic approach to this. I am all for this product because it does bring everything together. Yes, it does make us rely one company for the long term but if this product helps us achieve the goals of our projects and provide quality software then it is worth it in my opinion. It should also push other ALM software venders such as Borland to improve their software.
My only fear is that Microsoft will rush the product as they did with VSTS 2005.
Regards,
Kalim Akbar
TFS Consulant
Interesting opinion - thanks for this Kalim,
It would be nice to see a ripple effect from vendors better known for ALM for sure.
There is that "reliance" factor though - and that's what made me think twice when I read the word democratise in a Microsoft statement.
Democracy is the salvation offered by the free west though isn't it? So that ought to make our cheeks rosy.
AdrianB
Every time I see the word managment I shudder! More power in their hands? There is a known phenomena in the business world, that manifests itself this way. Not all the time, but often, when managment becomes powerfull and bloated, Directors of companies can become shielded from real and rising talent on the shop floor so to speak. I've seen this myself in the work place and spoken out about it, to then be thanked by a company director, in the face of managers spreading fear and being subtely intimidating.
Democracy can shoot it self in the foot at times. It is possible for those who wield power in a democracy to be lobied to death by vested intrests, resulting in bad decision making and some very undemocratic results.
Off topic there, just felt moved to shout out.
Thanks Roger - that's very eloquently put.
It is particularly hard to question democracy in a lucid and coherent way without coming across as a Taliban rebel.
But you did it.
I can't add, I can only applaud.
Many thanks - Adrian
Thank you Adrian....interesting developments are afoot with the worlds democracys at the moment, with the failure and potential failure of several very large banks.
I notice our government has nationalised another major bank. Western governments and banks have had a history of squabling, since the eighteen hundreds. Governments in the UK (particularly Thatcher and now Brown) have long harboured the desire to be able to issue national credit, thus having the knock on effect of shoring up new enterprise and business. Of course the major banks were not having any of it prefering to offer loans at high rates of intrest.
I remember one of Thatchers plans being to issue every citizen in the UK £10,000. The money could be used to destroy oneself or to improve ones life, no strings. This would have been done via the issuance of national credit. Not long after this, she lost her job.
