Re:Source code maintenance tools/organization
on
Linus Does Not Scale
·
· Score: 2
How do you manage development branches?
Linus only manages one branch. It's not an issue.
That may be part of the problem. Linus could allow a new, albeit
tested, feature in as a branch. Only until it has been tested in the
"real world" sufficiently would he merge the branch into the main
development trunk. In the mean time, the old code could be refined and bug
fixed in parallel. It would be up to Linus when the branch gets merged,
however, everyone could have access to it if they desired.
How do you roll back your code to undo an enhancement you thought would work?
By editing the code to *fix* the problem.
Simply undoing the flawed submission means that you did a poor job of making
sure that only quality code goes in. It does not fix anything.
Ah, but human beings are not perfect; we all make mistakes even when we are
very, very careful. It's not a fair statement to say that Linus should
only accept "perfect" code. You have to consider the possibility
that a bug will crop up even *after* quality checking is performed. Then
what?
CVS makes it easy to pull an older version of the code allowing the programmer
an easy way to do a before-after comparison of the software at two instances in
time.
One thing Katz didn't mention was the importance of an online retailer
having a "brick and mortar" presence. Amazon takes orders for
Toys 'R Us and Target. Other stores strongly link their online stores with their
B&M chains. For example, Best Buy and Circuit City allow you to return
purchases made online. However, Staples treats their online store as if it
were a completely different entity. Last I heard, Staples.com was still
loosing money hand over fist.
There was one thing Katz got dead on: it's all about women. Men buy stuff,
but women shop. Ever go to a department store like Macy's?
All of the men's stuff is in one spot in the store. Women's clothing is
spread out over different floors. I think you are going to see the successful
online retailers try to find out what women want in an online shopping
experience and try to make it a reality. If so, returning merchandise is
going to be a big thing for women. Obviously, the B&M retailers have
an advantage here. Why go through the bother of shipping it back when you
could drop it off during your errands?
That's exactly the problem now. He's already backlogged. The difference is that instead of going over every little patch himself, he gets the code AFTER the "patch penguin" has had a crack at integrating ALL of the changes and making sure they don't break anything else. That was the whole point of the proposal. You did read the proposal, didn't you?
Even simpler than that, just check out an older version that was labeled accordingly. The trunk and it's branches can go on ad infinitum without interfering. That's the one of the basic ideas behind CVS; you can continue to develop AND keep you stable releases in the SAME place.
Source code maintenance tools/organization
on
Linus Does Not Scale
·
· Score: 4, Insightful
"...source code maintenance tools/organization are for wimps!"
I almost don't believe what I'm hearing. How do you manage development
branches? How do you roll back your code to undo an enhancement you thought
would work? How do know which bug fixes are tied to a particular instance
of code? Wimp? More like "anyone who ISN'T using source code
maintenance is a fool."
Yes they DO make a profit. Stop spreading urban legends. Besides, costs go DOWN as production continues. Why do we have to go through this every time a story about video game consoles is posted?
I don't mind having a few thousand of these suckers injected into my bloodstream to fight along side my white blood cells against viruses, bacteria, and cancer cells. My only concern is when some script kiddie hacks into my nanites and takes control of my body. Can you say "goatse?"
Stop, stop, stop. While I believe there are people who legitimately want to play Japanese games and backups using their mod chips, this isn't what the overwhelming majority of people intend to do with it. The real reason these devices are popular is because people want to play some mediocre game, but don't want to shell out $50 for it. Considering that Sony DOES make a profit on the console, mod chips are a great way to keep pumping the numbers of PS2s out there. MS has already tipped their hand with the HomeStation. It's not about games anymore, it's about whose hardware is in the most homes. If successful, they could end up driving PS2 sales down.
I've seen two or three episodes of Zim so I'm not an expert on the show. From what I've seen, it's got great animation and a dark tone to it, but the basic concept is pretty much the same as a lot of the other cartoons made in recent times. Smart nerd boy and his wisecracking sister who always seems to get the better of him. Everyone is blind or an idiot to whatever is going on. It plays too much like Dexter's Lab and Courage the Cowardly Dog. The jokes and gags were par for the course. I don't recall seing anything outrageous or out of the ordinary. I'm not too surprised it's getting canceled.
I know. I tried submitting an article about it and it got rejected. Even though fuel cells are a ways off, isn't it better to direct our attention to something other than tweeking engines based on fossil fuels? I'm not going to be shocked when/if someone comes up with a gasoline engine in a vehicle that can get 70 mpg. I'll be shocked when they can actually sell the contraption to the average US consumer.
The alleged upside of DRM to the consumer is supposed to be access to lots
and lots of media that can be tightly controlled at a cheaper price. While
there have been lots of failures (e.g., Divx), I have yet to see one succeed.
This kind of system might work. The problem isn't the hackers. It's
the ridiculously high prices they try to squeeze out of the consumer vs. any
perceived "convenience" their product is supposed to yield. Divx
failed because no one in their right mind would go through all the trouble and
expense to watch a disposable DVD when a "regular" DVD was cheap enough
to own in the first place.
The only company that might be able to pull it off would be Microsoft
with the introduction of their.NET architecture. That is, if they don't
get greedy and expect to collect $199 per user to upgrade.
I agree with all your points. However, there is one feature that could be beneficial: the ability to switch identities without a reboot (or semi-reboot). Why? One of the reasons that Linux is secure is because you aren't logged in as root to do day-to-day tasks. Many times Windows OS machines are set up where the user has Administrator rights. The reason given is that it's too much of a hassle to switch to the Administrator login and then back to the user account. In XP, it's easy to switch back and forth. Windows XP could finally bring the same security paradigm as Linux. Question is, does anyone use it now?
The same could be said of the million other things people do at their jobs and take for granted. Ever send or receive a personal fax at work? Make a personal call? Write something down on a piece of paper like "Bring home milk" and stick it in your pocket? Yes, these are really petty examples, but (if set up correctly) so is using these kinds of programs.
there's plenty of times I need as much CPU power as I can get:
Using Winrar to backup critical data files for storage on an external hard drive.
Using PNGCRUSH to compress large PNG files.
Compressing Agent databases.
Now try to do anything else while you are doing those things.
Pffft. I was able to OC my HP28 with just software. Hey, why are my batteries dying so fast? At least I got that sucker to plot polar coordinates in half the time!
You are the exception, not the rule. Many of our subcontractors at my old agency complained to us that we were wooing away their staff due to the higher pay and benefits. Consulting firms like Lockheed Martin do NOT pay their low-end positions very much money.
Speaking as someone who worked for a pseudo-gov't agency, allow me to refine what you just said... There is a core group of people who acutally do know what the heck is going on and can make informed decisions. These people are usually not in management; therefore, their ideas don't get very far. Besides, nobody acutally likes technology in a gov't job. Why? It represents change. Who the hell wants to stick your neck out trying something new and untested when you can keep your job doing it the same old way you've been doing it for the last 30 years?
Let's compare Java vs. Assembly Language. What percentage of programmers involved with Java need to be concerned about the hardware? A very small percent. Namely, the people who develop the VM. How about Assembly Language? 100%.
If you have a picture ID MetroCard, like disabled and Elderly passengers do in order to receive a discounted fare, then yes, your name is associated with card's serial number. Can't really blame transit for using serial numbers. It's the most reliable way to keep fraud low.
Let's be serious for a moment. It's the high-tech world itself that's
making people dumber.
Ever see someone who works at a fast food restaurant (and I use the term "fast" food loosely) try to make change relying on their math skills?
Next time your order is something like $4.87, give the cashier $5.12. Most of the time the person will be smart enough to enter the value into the register and let
the machine crunch the total for them. But every once and a while, you'll get a look of confusion and panic as they try to figure out what the
twelve cents is for. In case you're wondering, I'm not a sadist. I need quarters for parking meters,
laundromats, and certain vending machines that just don't take dimes and nickels.
Programmers don't necessarily need to know how the underlying hardware works to
write a program. In fact, modern languages try to keep the entire hardware
layer as abstract as possible (e.g., Java). The original poster accurately
predicts this trend is going to become more and more prevalent as time goes on.
Slashdot Mirror
That may be part of the problem. Linus could allow a new, albeit tested, feature in as a branch. Only until it has been tested in the "real world" sufficiently would he merge the branch into the main development trunk. In the mean time, the old code could be refined and bug fixed in parallel. It would be up to Linus when the branch gets merged, however, everyone could have access to it if they desired.
Ah, but human beings are not perfect; we all make mistakes even when we are very, very careful. It's not a fair statement to say that Linus should only accept "perfect" code. You have to consider the possibility that a bug will crop up even *after* quality checking is performed. Then what?
CVS makes it easy to pull an older version of the code allowing the programmer an easy way to do a before-after comparison of the software at two instances in time.
Two comments:
One thing Katz didn't mention was the importance of an online retailer having a "brick and mortar" presence. Amazon takes orders for Toys 'R Us and Target. Other stores strongly link their online stores with their B&M chains. For example, Best Buy and Circuit City allow you to return purchases made online. However, Staples treats their online store as if it were a completely different entity. Last I heard, Staples.com was still loosing money hand over fist.
There was one thing Katz got dead on: it's all about women. Men buy stuff, but women shop. Ever go to a department store like Macy's? All of the men's stuff is in one spot in the store. Women's clothing is spread out over different floors. I think you are going to see the successful online retailers try to find out what women want in an online shopping experience and try to make it a reality. If so, returning merchandise is going to be a big thing for women. Obviously, the B&M retailers have an advantage here. Why go through the bother of shipping it back when you could drop it off during your errands?
That's exactly the problem now. He's already backlogged. The difference is that instead of going over every little patch himself, he gets the code AFTER the "patch penguin" has had a crack at integrating ALL of the changes and making sure they don't break anything else. That was the whole point of the proposal. You did read the proposal, didn't you?
Even simpler than that, just check out an older version that was labeled accordingly. The trunk and it's branches can go on ad infinitum without interfering. That's the one of the basic ideas behind CVS; you can continue to develop AND keep you stable releases in the SAME place.
"...source code maintenance tools/organization are for wimps!"
I almost don't believe what I'm hearing. How do you manage development branches? How do you roll back your code to undo an enhancement you thought would work? How do know which bug fixes are tied to a particular instance of code? Wimp? More like "anyone who ISN'T using source code maintenance is a fool."
Now, can you please tell me why it had to be transparent? Would the whales have been upset if they didn't have a view during the ride?
Yes they DO make a profit. Stop spreading urban legends. Besides, costs go DOWN as production continues. Why do we have to go through this every time a story about video game consoles is posted?
I don't mind having a few thousand of these suckers injected into my bloodstream to fight along side my white blood cells against viruses, bacteria, and cancer cells. My only concern is when some script kiddie hacks into my nanites and takes control of my body. Can you say "goatse?"
Stop, stop, stop. While I believe there are people who legitimately want to play Japanese games and backups using their mod chips, this isn't what the overwhelming majority of people intend to do with it. The real reason these devices are popular is because people want to play some mediocre game, but don't want to shell out $50 for it. Considering that Sony DOES make a profit on the console, mod chips are a great way to keep pumping the numbers of PS2s out there. MS has already tipped their hand with the HomeStation. It's not about games anymore, it's about whose hardware is in the most homes. If successful, they could end up driving PS2 sales down.
I've seen two or three episodes of Zim so I'm not an expert on the show. From what I've seen, it's got great animation and a dark tone to it, but the basic concept is pretty much the same as a lot of the other cartoons made in recent times. Smart nerd boy and his wisecracking sister who always seems to get the better of him. Everyone is blind or an idiot to whatever is going on. It plays too much like Dexter's Lab and Courage the Cowardly Dog. The jokes and gags were par for the course. I don't recall seing anything outrageous or out of the ordinary. I'm not too surprised it's getting canceled.
I know. I tried submitting an article about it and it got rejected. Even though fuel cells are a ways off, isn't it better to direct our attention to something other than tweeking engines based on fossil fuels? I'm not going to be shocked when/if someone comes up with a gasoline engine in a vehicle that can get 70 mpg. I'll be shocked when they can actually sell the contraption to the average US consumer.
Now I gotta carry around a satelite tramsmitter, too?
The alleged upside of DRM to the consumer is supposed to be access to lots and lots of media that can be tightly controlled at a cheaper price. While there have been lots of failures (e.g., Divx), I have yet to see one succeed.
.NET architecture. That is, if they don't
get greedy and expect to collect $199 per user to upgrade.
This kind of system might work. The problem isn't the hackers. It's the ridiculously high prices they try to squeeze out of the consumer vs. any perceived "convenience" their product is supposed to yield. Divx failed because no one in their right mind would go through all the trouble and expense to watch a disposable DVD when a "regular" DVD was cheap enough to own in the first place.
The only company that might be able to pull it off would be Microsoft with the introduction of their
I agree with all your points. However, there is one feature that could be beneficial: the ability to switch identities without a reboot (or semi-reboot). Why? One of the reasons that Linux is secure is because you aren't logged in as root to do day-to-day tasks. Many times Windows OS machines are set up where the user has Administrator rights. The reason given is that it's too much of a hassle to switch to the Administrator login and then back to the user account. In XP, it's easy to switch back and forth. Windows XP could finally bring the same security paradigm as Linux. Question is, does anyone use it now?
The same could be said of the million other things people do at their jobs and take for granted. Ever send or receive a personal fax at work? Make a personal call? Write something down on a piece of paper like "Bring home milk" and stick it in your pocket? Yes, these are really petty examples, but (if set up correctly) so is using these kinds of programs.
All we need is something cooler than 0 K to get it there and we'll be in business!
there's plenty of times I need as much CPU power as I can get: Using Winrar to backup critical data files for storage on an external hard drive. Using PNGCRUSH to compress large PNG files. Compressing Agent databases. Now try to do anything else while you are doing those things.
Pffft. I was able to OC my HP28 with just software. Hey, why are my batteries dying so fast? At least I got that sucker to plot polar coordinates in half the time!
I've got a plan to use liquid hydrogen and get it up to 3.999GHz!
You are the exception, not the rule. Many of our subcontractors at my old agency complained to us that we were wooing away their staff due to the higher pay and benefits. Consulting firms like Lockheed Martin do NOT pay their low-end positions very much money.
Speaking as someone who worked for a pseudo-gov't agency, allow me to refine what you just said... There is a core group of people who acutally do know what the heck is going on and can make informed decisions. These people are usually not in management; therefore, their ideas don't get very far. Besides, nobody acutally likes technology in a gov't job. Why? It represents change. Who the hell wants to stick your neck out trying something new and untested when you can keep your job doing it the same old way you've been doing it for the last 30 years?
Let's compare Java vs. Assembly Language. What percentage of programmers involved with Java need to be concerned about the hardware? A very small percent. Namely, the people who develop the VM. How about Assembly Language? 100%.
If you have a picture ID MetroCard, like disabled and Elderly passengers do in order to receive a discounted fare, then yes, your name is associated with card's serial number. Can't really blame transit for using serial numbers. It's the most reliable way to keep fraud low.
Let's be serious for a moment. It's the high-tech world itself that's making people dumber.
Ever see someone who works at a fast food restaurant (and I use the term "fast" food loosely) try to make change relying on their math skills? Next time your order is something like $4.87, give the cashier $5.12. Most of the time the person will be smart enough to enter the value into the register and let the machine crunch the total for them. But every once and a while, you'll get a look of confusion and panic as they try to figure out what the twelve cents is for. In case you're wondering, I'm not a sadist. I need quarters for parking meters, laundromats, and certain vending machines that just don't take dimes and nickels.
Programmers don't necessarily need to know how the underlying hardware works to write a program. In fact, modern languages try to keep the entire hardware layer as abstract as possible (e.g., Java). The original poster accurately predicts this trend is going to become more and more prevalent as time goes on.