Re: [PLUG] dev vs production environments

[Doug Stewart <zamoose@gmail.com>]

Would they rather

A) Detect a bug in the test server where only dev/testers will be annoyed and inconvenienced or

B) Have an end user detect a bug in prod and submit an angry email asking why you can't hire competent devs and testers

?

--
Doug Stewart

On Jan 25, 2012, at 5:22 PM, JP Vossen <jp@jpsdomain.org> wrote:

> Arguably at least semi-OT, but it's all about Linux & Java & stuff, so...  (Warning, I'm *not* a Java fan.)
> 
> I'm having a problem at work convincing some developers that the dev and testing environments should match production as close as possible. Since this is all Linux stuff, and we have machines and virtualization, this seems like it should be a no-brainer to me.  In fact, this is so blindingly obvious that I'm having trouble making a stronger argument for this than "because it's so blindingly obvious."
> 
> Also, much of the dev work is Java, which is "write once, run anywhere," right?  Ummm.  No.  I'll agree with "write once, debug everywhere" but that's about it.  *Running* a Java app in a production-quality way is a *tad* different on Linux and (the horror) Windows...  Even if the "Java code" part works, all the rest of the surrounding infrastructure and environment (init script, ulimit, user perms, SELinux, ports < 1024 (like 443)) has to work and be in sync too.  That isn't gonna happen on Windows.  (Hell, it's not even happening on Linux, which is part of my point.)  And don't get me started on the JBoss part of it...
> 
> So...  Am I wrong?  Or is this as blindingly obvious as I think it is? And if so, can anyone make a better argument, or point me at some "best practices" and/or horror stories I can beat people with?  (I'm Googling badly as I can't find anything good.  OK, besides just about everything at thedailywtf.com :)
> 
> FWIW, we're trying to be "Agile" though we just started and have a *long* way to go...
> 
> Thanks,
> JP
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