joelonsoftware rssfeedsspamassassintaintorg url httpwwwjoelonsoftwarecomnews20020912html date supplied trying decide fogbugz1 30 support custom fields historically opposed custom fields principle get abused people add many fields bug databases capture everything think might important entering bug like applying harvard end result people dont enter bugs much much worse capturing information always page fault get information original report forgot rather field every bug enter version numbers every dll machine actual customer request information likely relevant tiny percentage bugs programmerassignee look bug first think might dllversionrelated _then_ bounce bug back originator asking dll info similarly always tempting add field ask os version bug occurred sounds logical trust adding fields like guaranteed one thing one thing reduce number bug reports get system first place small percentage bugs really os dependant always include info text description bug happens relevant search say bugs happen windows 98se aha cant ever even custom field every bug regressed every version every operating system search doesnt make sense first place info wasnt captured full text search 98se youll find life imperfect life would perfect every bug report included megabytes information complete dump every byte hard drive ram computer question youre photograph testers workspace goal bug tracking database _keep track bugs_ else equal takes priority making easy find heard countless stories development teams bug tracking package highceremony people afraid enter bugs system didnt know fields _real_ bugtracking happened email postits hallway conversations great pretty common question get customer service line fogbugz support custom fields rather giving usual answer purpose last weeks ive saying please tell fields would need trying decide whether implement feature 30 want know people need interesting thing almost fields people ask _are already fogbugz_ ones educated opinion shouldnt fields fact existing customers certainly happy without custom fields one biggest site licenses sold semiconductor company wanted add custom field keep track versions circuit design didnt never needed even though keeping track old bug tracking package custom fields happy keep buying site licenses dilemma us many customers evaluating bug tracking software consider lack custom fields major weakness product gosh even filemaker custom fields righto true tell customers wrong one person talking yesterday would used custom field something already builtin field would made database confusing inconsistent would definitely caused problems solved still rude tell customers dont feature _for good_ even though usually losing sales sigh guess could custom fields feature hide make hard use people dont use least wont lose sales 1 httpwwwfogcreekcomfogbugz thu 26 sep 2002 152828 0000 trying decide fogbugz 30 support custom