Crazy Talk About Source Control Systems
I've used a lot of different source control systems in my days. Some have seemed to be really nice, only to be replaced by others that are even nicer. Some were replaced by worse systems, but for the most part, it's about the integrity of the development process. Period. Some make it easier to work in teams, some make it easier to work in a distributed manner, but all should have the same key feature: it allows you to version your files so you don't loose anything.
Which is why I was stunned to be in the middle of a discussion about the "one" source control system we should be using. Why? We've used ClearCase, and it worked OK, but then they didn't like supporting it and told us to move to a different system. We've used CVS for ages and it's never failed us. You can use Subversion now, and it's fine. I'm not sure, but I'm willing to bet that just about any reliable SCM is going to work. Just pick one, make sure it's safe, backed-up, and then get on with the job.
To say a group needs to use one at the exclusion of another is silly. You don't use one development environment at the exclusion of another - use Eclipse if you want... use Emacs, use Vi... just get the job done. Why would a group of professional developers even consider making rules like this?
OK, maybe some places feel it's important to have a single tool for each category so that people can get used to it and not have to change. Fine. Then by that logic, if someone is using a tool, don't make them change. If it's working, then it's solved. If it's not, then fix it. But making rules like this when nothing's broken is just plain silly.
When I've used projects that are in Subversion, I used subversion. When they were in ClearCase, I used that. What's the big deal? There is no one tool that's so vastly superior to the others that it can't be made to work, just pick one for a project and stick with it. Seems pretty clear to me.
But I'm in the minority here, it seems. They want to say all new development needs to be in one system. Until they don't like that and move to another, as they did when they moved to this one they are favoring now. It's crazy, but that's corporate life, I guess.