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I recently came back from a trip where I was working with several customers to implement source code control systems. I wasn't in Kansas, but I could see it from my porch. But my real message is that 8.0 and beyond really changed the Notes development environment, and everyone needs to consider implementing some source code controls.

Let me explain. I updated my mail file to 8.5.1 because I wanted to be able to accept meeting invitations in preview mode (a really cool feature in 8.5.1). Then I opened my mail file in 8.0 and discovered I could not accept meeting invites in preview mode. You see, it wasn't just changes to the mail template. This feature also requires changes to the Notes client, even though there were no new features in this release. Because this feature was implemented in the Java views and forms, it was not something I could change by opening the template in Designer and copying. Because it was implemented in the Java views and forms. This would seem to mean the days of tweaking your designs on the production copy of the database are quickly ending.

So now that you have another copy of the database on your server for implementing new features (and maybe fixing things that users think are bugs), you need to be able to tell how the two databases are different. And this is where the source code control system comes into place.

You see, good source control should allow you to identify the user request for the change you are making, and it should help you manage the different versions of your applications. I can't tell you how many databases I've seen with design elements that are named 'Copy of...'. At one site, the developer admitted to me that he could delete all 20 of the private agents in his database that were one-time only data fixes (because the source code control system could always bring back stuff that was deleted).

So, sooner or later, you are going to need a source code control system. I am sure you will find it will actually make your life easier.