MultipleClientDeployment

Paulo Schneider: Until recently, sold app as SaaS, so had full control. Recently sold to customer who implements locally, don't take releases frequently.

Huw: Lots of changes? Can you hide features?

PS: Can do this, can add new features just as new options or screens. But customer still don't trust us. Servers on different platform also, so explosion of types of test.

Jenny Ramsey: Clients only take patches, refuse upgrades because of low release quality.

Huw: Had to replicate setup (environments).

JR: 30 clients. No branching. Everything into Latest (aka "HEAD"). Sometimes forget to update old versions.

PS: Managed to forget to create branch for local-imp customer. Have to duplicate fixes. Could imagine losing track of changes per branch.

JR: How much testing do you do?

DS: Replicate all testing on both branches. Much harder if 30!

JR: At previous firm, have to upgrade or pay lots extra.

Huw: Resistance to SaaS?

DS: Scalability (not security). Have "red phone" for support from big firms to fix any scalability problems, yD can't provide.

Huw: Build Doctor dared Huw to say to VSS was all right. It has some good features! At Crystal Reports, had multiple viewer DLLs with some database drivers. Many code streams. Could share code among branches - update one branch triggers update elsewhere. Can also pin one stream to an old version of code from another.

DS: Could use dependency management for this - put in Maven/Ivy/Nexus and tie to specific version, or always take latest.

JR: What about multiple branches for multiple features, some partly done?

DS: Hide the features (option not on screen, menu item not visible).