From: greg@thirdi.uucp (Greg Holmberg)
Newsgroups: comp.os.ms-windows.programmer.tools,comp.os.ms-windows.programmer.misc,comp.software-eng,comp.os.ms-windows.misc,comp.os.msdos.programmer,comp.programming
Subject: Re: Robust Config Mgmt system wanted for MSwindows&UNIX
Date: 14 Aug 92 18:38:53 GMT
Reply-To: greg@thirdi.UUCP (Greg Holmberg)
Organization: Third Eye Software, Menlo Park, CA

In article <C2K.92Aug11091844@ham.slc.mentorg.com> c2k@ham.slc.mentorg.com (Carl Ketcham) writes:
	In article <1992Jul28.182422.35886@thegang.uucp> greg@thegang.uucp writes:
	
	   I am interested in hearing peoples
	   recommendations/experiences with any fairly robust
	   Configuration Management systems appropriate for large
	   software projects doing development on both MicroSoft
	   Windows and UNIX (SunOS, HP-UX, and/or AIX).  Pointers to
	   FAQ's or other appropriate information sources would also be
	   very welcome.

	I've had good luck with Free Software Foundation's RCS
	(Revision Control System).  I use it on multiple Unix platforms
	(Sun Apollo HP Dec IBM) as well as DOS-based systems.  It's
	available on SimTel or one of the mirror sites for DOS, and
	many places in the Unix version.  Source is included (natch) -
	so have fun with it.

I wouldn't really call RCS a configuration management system.  I would
say it does what it was designed for well (version control), but it
lacks the second and third dimensions of CM: control of composition and
development process control (i.e. workflow in the group).

It is a common misconception that version control (SCCS or RCS) is
enough.  That "we can get by on RCS".  In my opinion, if your project
is of any size and you're using just version control, you are destined
for a catastrophe at some point.

I don't think you're going to find a CM system appropriate for large
projects that runs on both Unix and MS-{Windows, DOS}.  In fact, the
only serious CM systems I'm aware of are Unix only.  Try these:

	CaseWare/CM (was Amplify Control)
	CaseWare, Inc.
	108 Pacifica, 2nd Floor
	Irvine, CA  92718-3332
	714/453-2200
	714/453-2276 Fax

	ClearCase
	Atria Software Inc.
	Western Sale Office:
	3017 Douglas Blvd., Suite 300
	Roseville, CA  95661
	916/774-7180
	916/774-7181 Fax

	ExpertWare
	Santa Clara, CA ?
	408 area code

Forget Sun's Networked Software Environment (NSE).  Even Sun has given
up on that one.

ClearCase is also available through Silicon Graphics.  SGI has a nice
add-on problem-tracking system called Tracker.

I think both CaseWare/CM and ClearCase are good products.  Which is
better for you depends on your needs.  Be ready to spend some money
though, like $2000-$3000 per person.

You'd also better understand the development process and policies
you want to implement in your group.  I used to go on CaseWare
sales calls, and it's amazing how many groups don't understand
or want to understand their own development process.  It's one of
those things I think most people wish would just go away.  But of
course that's just not going to happen.

CM tools are not a silver bullet.  Like all development tools they
require planning and thought to implement.  You must be prepared to
invest significant time and money in formalizing your development
process.  Of course the alternative, ignoring the problem, is even more
expensive, but the costs are hidden so most people don't notice.

Put your best people on the CM analysis and reserve significant
time and resources for the project.

For DOS, one possibility is to keep your source code on a Unix machine
and control it with one of the above products.  Then get Ethernet cards
for your PC's and get some networked file client/server software such
as PC-Interface from Locus Computing or PC-NFS from Sun.

Disclaimer: I was one of the original developers of Amplify at
CaseWare.



Tsch|_,


Greg Holmberg

Third Eye Software, Inc.                415/321-0967 Voice
750 Menlo Avenue, Suite 300             415/321-2066 Fax
Menlo Park, CA  94025                   greg@thirdeye.com