[Qt-interest] QT windows visual studio 2008 version

[Bob Hood]

On 7/4/2010 10:09 AM, Thiago Macieira wrote:
> However, in fact, I agree with you: we must move faster. So what I'd
> like us
> to do is stop supporting anything but the latest compiler, plus switch to the 
> latest from one patch release to the next. What do you think?

Sorry, but if I'm understanding you correctly, I'd have to disagree with
this approach.

Support for multiple environments is simply a necessary evil of your
business (i.e., the application-development framework business), and
probably all serious software-development businesses in general.  To
adopt a policy of only supporting the latest tools with each and every
release of Qt would force certain questionable engineering practices on
those dependent upon Qt.

For example, a cardinal software engineering rule is that you don't
change your development tools in the middle of a release cycle.  You
re-factor your development process (i.e., integrate the
latest-and-greatest tools) only at the early stages of a cycle.  Were
you (Nokia) to adopt a policy that each release of Qt (including patch
releases) were to require the newest tools, you would either jeopardize
existing release cycles on projects dependent upon Qt by requiring them
to re-factor midstream, or force those projects to forgo the integration
of patch releases of Qt (something that may be critical) until after
release.

I know what a pain it can be to support multiple environments and
platforms (we have two different products that support Windows, Linux
and Mac, 32-bit and 64-bit), but we do it because our customers need
it.  And in the end, that's why we all have jobs, no?  :)