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.
Monday 9 November 2009, 7:24 PM
Is SCM a prerequisite for follow-the-sun development teams?
I love a good case study don’t you? You don’t? Well, ok, neither do I to tell you the truth. It takes a half decent yarn to capture my attention. So what would I rank as a half decent technology anecdote worth blogging about? I’ll tell you.
Presumably keen not to be labelled as mere recruitment consultants, StepStone is a company that somewhat grandiosely describes itself as providers of “total talent management” no less. Not only that, the company drives its online recruitment services using a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) model to bring new offerings to users more quickly.
Like many organisations today, StepStone has software developers in multiple locations including Germany, Norway, Poland, UK and Vietnam. Getting these engineers to work in harmony from a code development perspective needs, unsurprisingly perhaps, a code repository and management layer in the form of a Software Change Management (SCM) system.
I contend that this begs the question then: is SMC a prerequisite for follow-the-sun development teams?
The system in question used by StepStone is Perforce, an SCM offering sometimes also more expansively termed as a Software Change and Configuration Management (SCCM) system.
Nigel Reed, head of software engineering for StepStone is on record as saying that “Perforce SCM enables us to connect everyone to a central repository to track and manage code, wherever our developer teams are based. In turn, this supports faster release cycles.”
So why don’t we hear more companies describing the mechanics of their follow-the-sun operations? Further, why don’t SCM companies use the follow-the-sun interconnectivity and continuity angle to ply their wares more directly?
Got a multinational code team? You need SCM. Easy. I’ve never heard it put like that though have you? OK, fair enough, got a multinational code team – you need SCM, robust security for connectivity, high-level code management methodologies (IBM RUP or other) to underpin momentum and a host of other factors. But you get my point I hope.
OK so I’ll spare you the ‘oh we had a problem and identified our needs so we found that xyz solution would work for us’ type of content and cut to the slightly harder core, “Standardising on Perforce has represented a real change in terms of the functionality available to us, particularly for branching and proxy support,” said StepStone’s Reed.
The Perforce Proxy is in fact a self-maintaining proxy server that caches versioned files for re-use on any local network with remote access to the Perforce server. Any number of proxies can be quickly deployed without requiring additional hardware or software. The branching feature includes a Revision Graph tool that visualises who has changed what and where.
Enough corporate voice allowed there then I think. So do you think if tech case studies were sold with a rather sharper angle in the way I have suggested that you might read them more often. I can only hope so.
Presumably keen not to be labelled as mere recruitment consultants, StepStone is a company that somewhat grandiosely describes itself as providers of “total talent management” no less. Not only that, the company drives its online recruitment services using a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) model to bring new offerings to users more quickly.
Like many organisations today, StepStone has software developers in multiple locations including Germany, Norway, Poland, UK and Vietnam. Getting these engineers to work in harmony from a code development perspective needs, unsurprisingly perhaps, a code repository and management layer in the form of a Software Change Management (SCM) system.
I contend that this begs the question then: is SMC a prerequisite for follow-the-sun development teams?
The system in question used by StepStone is Perforce, an SCM offering sometimes also more expansively termed as a Software Change and Configuration Management (SCCM) system.
Nigel Reed, head of software engineering for StepStone is on record as saying that “Perforce SCM enables us to connect everyone to a central repository to track and manage code, wherever our developer teams are based. In turn, this supports faster release cycles.”
So why don’t we hear more companies describing the mechanics of their follow-the-sun operations? Further, why don’t SCM companies use the follow-the-sun interconnectivity and continuity angle to ply their wares more directly?
Got a multinational code team? You need SCM. Easy. I’ve never heard it put like that though have you? OK, fair enough, got a multinational code team – you need SCM, robust security for connectivity, high-level code management methodologies (IBM RUP or other) to underpin momentum and a host of other factors. But you get my point I hope.
OK so I’ll spare you the ‘oh we had a problem and identified our needs so we found that xyz solution would work for us’ type of content and cut to the slightly harder core, “Standardising on Perforce has represented a real change in terms of the functionality available to us, particularly for branching and proxy support,” said StepStone’s Reed.
The Perforce Proxy is in fact a self-maintaining proxy server that caches versioned files for re-use on any local network with remote access to the Perforce server. Any number of proxies can be quickly deployed without requiring additional hardware or software. The branching feature includes a Revision Graph tool that visualises who has changed what and where.
Enough corporate voice allowed there then I think. So do you think if tech case studies were sold with a rather sharper angle in the way I have suggested that you might read them more often. I can only hope so.
Friday 6 November 2009, 7:28 AM
Moblin v2.1 – new polish or just box ticking the building blocks?
Moblin’s strategy for mobile Linux on Mobile Internet Devices (MIDs) built around the Intel Atom processor has, according to the project’s steering committee, reached the Moblin v2.1 project release which features so-called “broad” feature additions including 3G data support and Bluetooth device support.
Already reported on ZDNetUK, the new “customer requested improvements” also include enhanced browser functionality and plug-in support, UI enhancements, input method support for localised languages and an integrated application installer for the Moblin Garage online application store.
Not without its critics, Moblin’s sheer size does appear to suggest that the number of recent bug fixes goes into the hundreds. User feedback from the developer community appears, unsurprisingly perhaps, to have had the most cosmetic impact (if you will) on the operation of the browser. Spending pragmatic time on practical elements of the total offering and focusing on the application store (to make lists more logically categorised) would also appear to be prudent.
But Bluetooth support, 3G data provisioning, a properly functioning browser, localisation for French, Spanish, German and Chinese – all good, but surely these are not major enhancements, this is just essential box ticking. Intel is referring to these developments and “polish”, shouldn't they be calling them fundamental building blocks?
Is it too harsh to suggest that, as admirable as these improvements are, that they should be more clearly positioned as cornerstone elements of a total programme rather than the sizzle on the sausage? If MIDs continue to proliferate as they are doing, then users will demand these functionalities from the get-go surely?
Already reported on ZDNetUK, the new “customer requested improvements” also include enhanced browser functionality and plug-in support, UI enhancements, input method support for localised languages and an integrated application installer for the Moblin Garage online application store.
Not without its critics, Moblin’s sheer size does appear to suggest that the number of recent bug fixes goes into the hundreds. User feedback from the developer community appears, unsurprisingly perhaps, to have had the most cosmetic impact (if you will) on the operation of the browser. Spending pragmatic time on practical elements of the total offering and focusing on the application store (to make lists more logically categorised) would also appear to be prudent.
But Bluetooth support, 3G data provisioning, a properly functioning browser, localisation for French, Spanish, German and Chinese – all good, but surely these are not major enhancements, this is just essential box ticking. Intel is referring to these developments and “polish”, shouldn't they be calling them fundamental building blocks?
Is it too harsh to suggest that, as admirable as these improvements are, that they should be more clearly positioned as cornerstone elements of a total programme rather than the sizzle on the sausage? If MIDs continue to proliferate as they are doing, then users will demand these functionalities from the get-go surely?
Wednesday 4 November 2009, 7:33 AM
We don’t need no IT education. Or maybe we do?
Connecting three ideas together as is often my want, I appear to have stumbled on more IT Education issues than is normal this week.
Firstly, I am looking at getting involved with a large OEM to help support their work in the education sector. This involves topics such as finding out that progressive schools are looking at virtualisation strategies to cope with changing student demands. In fact, it seems that many academic institutions are turning to IT to simultaneously enhance the teaching and learning experience and reduce overall costs.
It’s a far cry from the high-tech French headphone lab we had when I was a lad. Speakers that sit on your ears and are controlled by a teacher at one end of the classroom who can stop the tape at will and talk to you as well – surely you jest? Amazing, but it was true.
Interestingly, because today’s students are the so-called ‘connected generation’, getting them to disconnect and start learning when they enter the classroom is one of the hardest parts of this equation to figure out.
My second education themed bus to come along in as many days was an organisation called eLearnIT, who I got involved with when they needed some nice layout materials to explain their courseware approach. This is a real web 2.0 affair that uses a web based GUI to simulate a classroom training environment as closely as possible. Short of animating a teacher character this is education on demand.
Yeah so it’s not unique but it’s well presented and it makes me wonder how much more I would have learned had I not had to spend hours snuffling around the crusty bookshelves of Wolverhampton Polytechnic to earn my glittering “Desmond” IIii in Economics.
Finally, the third school bus in a line came from software configuration management (SCM) specialists Perforce a company who I know reasonable well. The company is now offering SCM classes online and once again the selling points here are no travel and learn at your own pace.
Is this the holy grail of education through IT then? High quality learning experiences created by blending live instructor lectures with student discussions and virtual lab environments.
This is how Perforce’s offering works: a live instructor teaches each course on a specific day and time and most content is identical to its classroom equivalent, including student materials and course duration. Modest connectivity requirements let students participate from practically anywhere, with lectures and discussions facilitated by GoToMeeting and a virtual lab environment provided by Skytap to complete hands-on activities. All training materials – student handbook, exercises and solutions – are provided electronically.
When I think back to what I liked most about my education years, it was probably the enthusiastic tutors and surely this is the one factor that is most lacking from these new techniques. I actually find academia and professional learning a hard subject to swallow, but that’s probably because as yet I’ve never yet needed to cite the specific dates for the repeal of the corn laws despite being made to learn all that kind of stuff. Perhaps I need to step into the new learning paradigms.
Firstly, I am looking at getting involved with a large OEM to help support their work in the education sector. This involves topics such as finding out that progressive schools are looking at virtualisation strategies to cope with changing student demands. In fact, it seems that many academic institutions are turning to IT to simultaneously enhance the teaching and learning experience and reduce overall costs.
It’s a far cry from the high-tech French headphone lab we had when I was a lad. Speakers that sit on your ears and are controlled by a teacher at one end of the classroom who can stop the tape at will and talk to you as well – surely you jest? Amazing, but it was true.
Interestingly, because today’s students are the so-called ‘connected generation’, getting them to disconnect and start learning when they enter the classroom is one of the hardest parts of this equation to figure out.
My second education themed bus to come along in as many days was an organisation called eLearnIT, who I got involved with when they needed some nice layout materials to explain their courseware approach. This is a real web 2.0 affair that uses a web based GUI to simulate a classroom training environment as closely as possible. Short of animating a teacher character this is education on demand.
Yeah so it’s not unique but it’s well presented and it makes me wonder how much more I would have learned had I not had to spend hours snuffling around the crusty bookshelves of Wolverhampton Polytechnic to earn my glittering “Desmond” IIii in Economics.
Finally, the third school bus in a line came from software configuration management (SCM) specialists Perforce a company who I know reasonable well. The company is now offering SCM classes online and once again the selling points here are no travel and learn at your own pace.
Is this the holy grail of education through IT then? High quality learning experiences created by blending live instructor lectures with student discussions and virtual lab environments.
This is how Perforce’s offering works: a live instructor teaches each course on a specific day and time and most content is identical to its classroom equivalent, including student materials and course duration. Modest connectivity requirements let students participate from practically anywhere, with lectures and discussions facilitated by GoToMeeting and a virtual lab environment provided by Skytap to complete hands-on activities. All training materials – student handbook, exercises and solutions – are provided electronically.
When I think back to what I liked most about my education years, it was probably the enthusiastic tutors and surely this is the one factor that is most lacking from these new techniques. I actually find academia and professional learning a hard subject to swallow, but that’s probably because as yet I’ve never yet needed to cite the specific dates for the repeal of the corn laws despite being made to learn all that kind of stuff. Perhaps I need to step into the new learning paradigms.
Tuesday 3 November 2009, 9:34 AM
Is Windows Easy Transfer in Windows 7 a bit difficult?
In my capacity as man with finger in more than one editorial pie (or freelance journalist I suppose), I have been getting some feedback from Windows 7 users that the data movement wizard Windows Easy Transfer is, when using Windows 7, actually sometimes a little difficult.
This tool, which I understand has been around since Vista if not before, is said to allow the user to transfer personal files, e-mail, data, files, media and settings from an old computer to a new one.
My first question is that given the massively low price of a Terabyte in a box, shouldn’t most users be backing up externally now anyway? Ah but that’s not the point I find out, this software is designed to work with a hard disk and act as a sort of management application to take the hassle of transfer away from the user.
So what’s the problem? Well, in practice I am told that it’s not as simple as it should be and a fair bit of self-navigation is necessary in order to locate and appropriately direct the required files along their way.
Microsoft is ebullient about it’s use of terms like “novice” and “a couple of clicks” for this wizard, “Novice computer users looking to replace a Windows XP-based computer with a Windows Vista-based computer can use an Easy Transfer Cable and in a couple of clicks transfer all of their personal data.”
But this is a multicultural society and we are talking about moving one set of data from an XP machine to a Vista machine, or Vista to Windows 7 – so what if all the settings on PC#1 were in French and everything on new PC#2 was in Italian, or Spanish or German? Can Windows Easy Transfer cope? It appears that the answer may be ‘not always’ and that difficulties can occur.
One more niggle, if a user does use an external hard drive to support this process and the transfer is not successful, some users have reported problems from this point due to loss of control already being surrendered to the wizard.
With Windows 7 lighting up the world, could this be an issue in some areas? For myself, I was ingloriously phished this weekend and spent most of Monday resetting everything including the kitchen kettle. So I have back ups and transfers at the front of my mind.
Has Microsoft provisioned correctly for a the use of a highly automated tool that can be thrown a curve ball relatively easily if it’s something as simple as language settings? Are users thinking more actively about backups and transfers now that much gathering of the clans and changing of the OSs is afoot? Should we all think about the way we file our data more intelligently so we don’t have to rely on wizards in the first place?
This tool, which I understand has been around since Vista if not before, is said to allow the user to transfer personal files, e-mail, data, files, media and settings from an old computer to a new one.
My first question is that given the massively low price of a Terabyte in a box, shouldn’t most users be backing up externally now anyway? Ah but that’s not the point I find out, this software is designed to work with a hard disk and act as a sort of management application to take the hassle of transfer away from the user.
So what’s the problem? Well, in practice I am told that it’s not as simple as it should be and a fair bit of self-navigation is necessary in order to locate and appropriately direct the required files along their way.
Microsoft is ebullient about it’s use of terms like “novice” and “a couple of clicks” for this wizard, “Novice computer users looking to replace a Windows XP-based computer with a Windows Vista-based computer can use an Easy Transfer Cable and in a couple of clicks transfer all of their personal data.”
But this is a multicultural society and we are talking about moving one set of data from an XP machine to a Vista machine, or Vista to Windows 7 – so what if all the settings on PC#1 were in French and everything on new PC#2 was in Italian, or Spanish or German? Can Windows Easy Transfer cope? It appears that the answer may be ‘not always’ and that difficulties can occur.
One more niggle, if a user does use an external hard drive to support this process and the transfer is not successful, some users have reported problems from this point due to loss of control already being surrendered to the wizard.
With Windows 7 lighting up the world, could this be an issue in some areas? For myself, I was ingloriously phished this weekend and spent most of Monday resetting everything including the kitchen kettle. So I have back ups and transfers at the front of my mind.
Has Microsoft provisioned correctly for a the use of a highly automated tool that can be thrown a curve ball relatively easily if it’s something as simple as language settings? Are users thinking more actively about backups and transfers now that much gathering of the clans and changing of the OSs is afoot? Should we all think about the way we file our data more intelligently so we don’t have to rely on wizards in the first place?
Friday 30 October 2009, 8:46 AM
If software companies were movie stars…
In the spirit of balanced tech blogging I had two choices to make before writing my blog today: a) an analysis of the latest Business Process Management tools or b) a fanciful blog that asks the question, “if software companies were movie stars, then which stars would they be?”
Well, it’s Friday and BPM is fun stuff for sure, but let’s stick with the movie star idea shall we? So grab yourself a Westler’s hotdog (available in the foyer), turn off your mobile phone and sneak out your giant sized packet of Maltesers as we find out who the stars of the software application development silver screen are.
Microsoft is Kevin Bacon – crops up in just about everything, fairly popular, but there are still plenty of people who can’t stand the site of him. Don’t forget that for every ‘Flatliners’ (Windows XP) there will be a ‘Footloose’ (Paper-Clip) right?
Sun, (we dearly hope is not) Steve Martin – brilliant in his early career but finally sells out to a commercial end game that is only faintly redolent of his former glory.
Sun, (we hope) is Robert de Niro - Truly adaptable, the method actor of his generation. Just when everyone thought he had gone out to pasture in his later years he still produces a surprisingly solid performance, sometimes he just needs the right people to work with. NB: This is not a suggestion that Larry Ellison is Al Pacino.
Serena is also Robert de Niro - Very adaptable - perhaps too adaptable, since it picked up business mashups and Agile before everyone else in its space. But for all those flashes of brilliance, it doesn't seem to know what to do with them.
Sybase is Tom Cruise - Bit of an upstart to begin with, but has shown flashes of brilliance and surprising depth over the years. Amusingly, I was speaking to Sybase about this idea and they would rather be known as Ron Howard - and I quote, “Both went through a rough point, Ron had trouble transitioning from a childhood star to an adult actor and Sybase had trouble keeping afloat during the database wars.” Both came out stronger in the end though I was told. Of course they did! This is Hollywood after all.
Computer Associates is Sir Ian McKellen - rarely in the limelight, often perceived as somewhat old and doddery. Many people still hold him/it close to their hearts though.
IBM is like Marlon Brando - runs a very tight ship and is liable to make you an offer you feel you can't refuse.
Adobe is like Johnny Depp - Looks good, can turn a hand to any role and in certain areas no one comes close
Linux is Keanu Reeves - Flaky and immature to start with but really has developed nicely and become rather cool.
Thanks to everyone who helped with suggestions for this blog. Coming next, when software application development methodologies are like the England first eleven football squad. Suggestions for Wayne Rooney anybody…?
Well, it’s Friday and BPM is fun stuff for sure, but let’s stick with the movie star idea shall we? So grab yourself a Westler’s hotdog (available in the foyer), turn off your mobile phone and sneak out your giant sized packet of Maltesers as we find out who the stars of the software application development silver screen are.
Microsoft is Kevin Bacon – crops up in just about everything, fairly popular, but there are still plenty of people who can’t stand the site of him. Don’t forget that for every ‘Flatliners’ (Windows XP) there will be a ‘Footloose’ (Paper-Clip) right?
Sun, (we dearly hope is not) Steve Martin – brilliant in his early career but finally sells out to a commercial end game that is only faintly redolent of his former glory.
Sun, (we hope) is Robert de Niro - Truly adaptable, the method actor of his generation. Just when everyone thought he had gone out to pasture in his later years he still produces a surprisingly solid performance, sometimes he just needs the right people to work with. NB: This is not a suggestion that Larry Ellison is Al Pacino.
Serena is also Robert de Niro - Very adaptable - perhaps too adaptable, since it picked up business mashups and Agile before everyone else in its space. But for all those flashes of brilliance, it doesn't seem to know what to do with them.
Sybase is Tom Cruise - Bit of an upstart to begin with, but has shown flashes of brilliance and surprising depth over the years. Amusingly, I was speaking to Sybase about this idea and they would rather be known as Ron Howard - and I quote, “Both went through a rough point, Ron had trouble transitioning from a childhood star to an adult actor and Sybase had trouble keeping afloat during the database wars.” Both came out stronger in the end though I was told. Of course they did! This is Hollywood after all.
Computer Associates is Sir Ian McKellen - rarely in the limelight, often perceived as somewhat old and doddery. Many people still hold him/it close to their hearts though.
IBM is like Marlon Brando - runs a very tight ship and is liable to make you an offer you feel you can't refuse.
Adobe is like Johnny Depp - Looks good, can turn a hand to any role and in certain areas no one comes close
Linux is Keanu Reeves - Flaky and immature to start with but really has developed nicely and become rather cool.
Thanks to everyone who helped with suggestions for this blog. Coming next, when software application development methodologies are like the England first eleven football squad. Suggestions for Wayne Rooney anybody…?
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