Comments on: Avoid Versioning – Please http://www.subbu.org/blog/2008/05/avoid-versioning-please Wed, 08 Feb 2012 05:16:45 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Mike Amundsen http://www.subbu.org/blog/2008/05/avoid-versioning-please/comment-page-1#comment-268 Mike Amundsen Tue, 20 May 2008 14:13:00 +0000 http://wp.subbu.org/2008/05/avoid-versioning-please/#comment-268 Good point. In most cases, versioning is a way to partition features for our clients. Often this is a business-driven item ('hey, you should upgrade to the new mauve edition of super-app #123!'). In some cases, our clients have competing interests and features need to be segmented in a way that prevents incompatibilities, but these are in the minority. Good point. In most cases, versioning is a way to partition features for our clients. Often this is a business-driven item (‘hey, you should upgrade to the new mauve edition of super-app #123!’). In some cases, our clients have competing interests and features need to be segmented in a way that prevents incompatibilities, but these are in the minority.

]]> By: Subbu Allamaraju http://www.subbu.org/blog/2008/05/avoid-versioning-please/comment-page-1#comment-267 Subbu Allamaraju Tue, 20 May 2008 13:42:44 +0000 http://wp.subbu.org/2008/05/avoid-versioning-please/#comment-267 Mike - in your experience, did you have to consider versioning since compat could not be maintained? Or is it for some other business reasons? If it is the latter, I completely agree. My intent is to address the former situation. Mike – in your experience, did you have to consider versioning since compat could not be maintained? Or is it for some other business reasons? If it is the latter, I completely agree. My intent is to address the former situation.

]]> By: Mike Amundsen http://www.subbu.org/blog/2008/05/avoid-versioning-please/comment-page-1#comment-266 Mike Amundsen Tue, 20 May 2008 13:30:26 +0000 http://wp.subbu.org/2008/05/avoid-versioning-please/#comment-266 I understand the need to limit 'drift' in code and data. I think it can be a sign of shoddy work if the application is constantly changing without clear direction, etc. But I also have another view, based on my current projects. I work in an environment where not all of our B2B customers are subscribed to the same version of our Web-based apps. For us, versioning (of both data and workflow) is not an 'emergency eject button.' It's a fundamental part of our work. I understand the need to limit ‘drift’ in code and data. I think it can be a sign of shoddy work if the application is constantly changing without clear direction, etc. But I also have another view, based on my current projects.

I work in an environment where not all of our B2B customers are subscribed to the same version of our Web-based apps. For us, versioning (of both data and workflow) is not an ‘emergency eject button.’ It’s a fundamental part of our work.

]]> By: Subbu Allamaraju http://www.subbu.org/blog/2008/05/avoid-versioning-please/comment-page-1#comment-265 Subbu Allamaraju Tue, 20 May 2008 08:47:42 +0000 http://wp.subbu.org/2008/05/avoid-versioning-please/#comment-265 I don't disagree. That's why the compat problem is extremely challenging and it takes some iterations early on to get the contract amenable to compatible changes. I think we should treat versioning as an emergency eject button - i.e. to be used only when all other attempts failed. I don’t disagree. That’s why the compat problem is extremely challenging and it takes some iterations early on to get the contract amenable to compatible changes. I think we should treat versioning as an emergency eject button – i.e. to be used only when all other attempts failed.

]]> By: Peter Williams http://www.subbu.org/blog/2008/05/avoid-versioning-please/comment-page-1#comment-264 Peter Williams Tue, 20 May 2008 06:56:45 +0000 http://wp.subbu.org/2008/05/avoid-versioning-please/#comment-264 I agree that in a perfect world we would not need versioning. But we don't live in that world. I have *never* written a program in which I fully understood the problem until well after I had released the first version. As humans we are doomed to producing useful things based on incomplete understanding and information. Versioning is a fact of API development and mantenaince. It may be unpleasant but it does not get easier or less likely just because you ignore it. Oh and a good versioning mechanism should allow you to continue to support your existing contracts and support new ones at the same time. It should not break any existing contracts. I agree that in a perfect world we would not need versioning. But we don’t live in that world. I have *never* written a program in which I fully understood the problem until well after I had released the first version. As humans we are doomed to producing useful things based on incomplete understanding and information.

Versioning is a fact of API development and mantenaince. It may be unpleasant but it does not get easier or less likely just because you ignore it.

Oh and a good versioning mechanism should allow you to continue to support your existing contracts and support new ones at the same time. It should not break any existing contracts.

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