Welcome to the first issue of Bear Tracks, from Smart Bear Software. We've started this newsletter to provide you with the latest information about code review techniques in general and about our product, Code Collaborator, in particular. In these periodic notes, we hope to present not only our own studies and philosophies, but also those written by other code review fans and developers like you.
In our first issue, we'll feature some tips on managing the social effects of peer code reviews. We also want to introduce ourselves to you and share a bit about our company and our employees. We want to touch base with YOU, so feel free to contact us personally with any comments, questions, or requests, and be sure to check out the links on the right for more ways to get in touch with us. After all, this newsletter is for you.
We hope you enjoy reading this newsletter, and thanks for reading!
-- Hannah Jung
Table of Contents
1. Addressing Objections: Social Effects of Code Review, Part 1
2. Ask Jason
Addressing Objections: Social Effects of Code Review, Part 1
by Gregg Sporar
What should I say/do to demonstrate that a new approach will work for my team? Instead of forcing a change, I would prefer to get buy-in up front. In order to do that, I need to show that the proposed change can fit my team and I need to have ready answers to their concerns.
When code review is added to an existing software development process, up-front buy-in is very important. Even if the workflow change is small, developers will rebel if they feel like it is being rammed down their throats. End result: team morale drops and the hoped-for improvement to software quality does not happen.
But it does not have to be that way...
Read more...
Note: This article is the first entry in a three-part series. In part two, I will provide some tips for development managers. If you do not want to wait, however, check out this recently-published white paper: Improve Quality and Morale: Tips for Managing the Social Effects of Code Review.
Jason practically invented code reviews. Okay, not really... not at all actually, but he has had experience in code reviews. A lot of experience. An avid believer who does code reviews nearly every day, he's studied it enough to answer your questions. We can't tell you what's right for you, but we can give you tips and advice for your code review process. So, if you have any questions about code review, our company, or our products, please feel free to email Jason, and your question along with Jason's answer might be featured in our next newsletter.
Q: Should we use a 'Review Pool,' and how do we
implement it?
Our featured blog in this issue is from Paul Tozour, an experienced game developer who works for Intel on Project Offset. Paul describes how at a previous employer, Code Collaborator was introduced in order "...to get more engineers familiar with different parts of the codebase that they wouldn't have had any exposure to otherwise. What we found was far more surprising -- we uncovered an amazing number of bugs before they ever reached QA." Read the full details in Collaboration.
Jason Cohen, aka Chief Bear, started it all. His contributions to Smart Bear include almost everything, having made Code Collaborator and writing the book on Peer Code Reviews (Best Kept Secrets of Peer Code Review), which we'll send you free. You can check out his blog at http://blog.asmartbear.com.
Describe a day in the life as the founder of Smart Bear.
I used to write code. Now it takes me until lunchtime to make it down the hall. My time is divided between sticking my nose in internal engineering and marketing projects and counseling customers on how they can most effectively use our tool and review code generally.
Read more...
In 2000, Jason was left adrift when the Internet bubble burst. And like many of us geeks, he had a group of smart friends who got together to reflect on what they should all do next. The friends considered a plan – could each of them build a series of small businesses that would take only a little time each but collectively support themselves? To find out, they made a bet – whoever got the most money out of their microbusiness won $5.
Read More...
Feedback Forum
Check out our new Feedback Forum. Here, you can pitch in your ideas for the newest version of Code Collaborator and see what others think too.
Read Our Blog
For more information on tips and tricks for code review, follow our blog.
Feature Your Blog Here
Do you have a blog? Blog about us and we'll send you a free Smart Bear shirt. And we might even link to your blog from our website.
Please feel free to contact us with any questions, suggestions, or comments regarding the newsletter or just about anything! Got a funny story during your code reviews? Please share it with us.
