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by Ben Hosking.
Original Post: Doesn't not compile - What happens when people only check in half their code
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I had a very frustrating day at work today. Someone had only checked in half his code so I couldn't compile. It is really annoying because I was in two minds do I try and fudge the code I have got out so that it compiles and work or wait for them to check the rest in. In the end I half fudged it but then the code wasn't working, was it something I had done or was there a problem put in by someone else. In the end I decided to keep cursing them every half hour, I have to admit it did help quite a lot.
I'm not really sure what the policy should be because I think it is good that you check code in, so if your computer melted you know that the code would safely tucked away in source control but I don't think you should check in half the code so anyone who gets out the latest code can't compile the damn thing.
In fact I think this is probably the reason why people have nightly builds to stop this kind of thing happening and to catch any bugs that your "enhancements" or code might have put in, side effect styleee.
You also don't want to get so you become a code hoarder, I have discussed why code hoarding is bad before
To cap this off even now we have most of the code checked in, now other parts of it don't work and I'm stuck wading around in the code to find out what is going on. I had a completely un productive day just treading water and going no where. By around 3pm I was beaten and didn't have the stomach to fight the code any longer and had to work on something. I hope to go in tomorrow with renewed vigour and give the code a right thrashing until it gives in and starts working.
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