Re: [Gnome-devtools] What we're doing.

[Mark <jamess1 wwnet com>]

Andrew Sutton wrote:
> 
> with all due respect, i don't know if you're entirely sure what you're
> should be working towards. it doesn't make sense to me to come out and
> say that we're building this complicated system to perform all these
> tasks without really defining what those tasks are. you need to define
> the context in which these components operate - in this case it should
> be a development process.

Well, I think that is a bit obvious.

> 
> one of my friends and i have been talking this over for the last week.
> it makes sense to us to build components around the development process.
> the development environment integrates all the components and allows
> developers to follow and work within the context of the development
> process.
> 
> integrating around the process provides some interesting tools for
> documenting steps in that process (system specification, software
> requirements, design, code, etc). it also lets us see what components
> are missing, which can be improved, and which can be replaced for more
> complicated development or project management.

<snip>

> 
> i think it would be a mistake to focus only on the implementation
> portion of the development process. everybody has something to do that,
> but a truly integrated development environment needs to focus an all
> parts of the process, not just relegate certain tools to a process tools
> list.

Maybe you could go into a bit more detail on this.

The way I develop software is to start with a bit of design, maybe some
diagrams, some drawings, all very abstract stuff, mostly on paper but
some times with a tool like Dia. Then I start with the implementation,
note that the implementation for me sort of evolves, nothing is set in
stone. Also I don't do %100 design and then %100 implementation, I go
back and forth a bit. When a problem is a bit difficult, I might write
up a short paper on the problem to help clear my thoughts.

I think my process is not so concrete mainly because I come from a CS
background, I suspect you may come from a software engineering
background? Maybe you could enlighten me as to what kind of tools
software engineers use, and your process. I don't see any reason why
both processes can not be supported, as Dave said "This means having an
environment that the
user can tailor to his or her needs, and that fits in with the
developer's way of working.".

Mark