joelonsoftware rssfeedsspamassassintaintorg url httpwwwjoelonsoftwarecomnews20021008html date supplied feedback posting1 fogbugz2 setup fell four categories make setup reversable instead collect information user make changes one batch end couple things understand first even everything one batch end theres always possibility step middle batch fail case wellbehaved setup program back steps already done well 100 error messages string table fogbugz setup number things fail insignificant second nice tell people error input three pages made mistake example early fogbugz setup process prompt create account fogbugz use img httpwwwjoelonsoftwarecompicturessetupnewacctgif fogbugz setup screenshot account creation could fail myriad reasons none predicted trying create account example password might conform system password policy different national versions windows nt different rules accented letters passwords betcha didnt know better tell user problem right away correct input rather message come long install process later forcing user back fix even force user back fix still undo first part work creating account otherwise youve left system indeterminate state case need write code create account delete account case something later fails might well call code page wizard display useful error message kinds things need reversable well order upgrade fogbugz without requiring reboot _never ever _require reboot shut couple processes might keeping fogbugz files pinned iis microsofts web server part one batch stop iis part 2 fails reason would _extremely_ rude leave iis running anyway like dont need write code start iis end batch code rollback stop iis already written big deal need call right place think one reason people think gather info work large installation programs slow polite way waste less users time indeed even fogbugz setup 95 work end create account operation fast principle simply doesnt apply even 95 work phase takes well minute spent waiting iis stop start use vcmfc surely advanced intelligence admitted delphi3 productive first leave language religious fanaticism usenet door somehow managed figure out_ high school_ language advocacy religious arguments unbelievably boring secondly even delphi productive pertinent question since writing code _what productive joel spolsky_ dont know delphi know win32 mfc vc _really really well_ might outcode good delphi programmer would definitely outcode completely inexperienced delphi programmer certainly short 4 week project third many things needed setup program things like grant logon service privilege account rare enough way find search microsoft knowlege base web general search web general fancy things windows nt find 75 c code maybe 20 vb code 5 everything else yes know could translate c code delphi assuming sophisticated delphi programmer completely inexperienced delphi programmer costs much productivity would supposedly gain supposedly productive programming language fourth already 30 code needed setup mfc format fogbugz 20 setup library ive using years make wizards make setup already customers money good setup programs dont increase sales actually smartest question made think hardest came three reasons decreased tech support cost setup program pay life code delight customers im trying get upgrade 40 want remember painless 30 installation wont hesitate afraid upgrade im still using old version spamassassin becoming increasingly ineffective even though know new version much better cant bear thought another morning wasted memory first spamassassin installation little ssh windows sued trying scroll man pages google groups accidentally hitting ctrlz emacs undo suspend trying guess cant get mta run procmail sorry much spamassassin making money upgraders would lost business dont setup program win reviews software reviewers always cast kind standardized way rate software even comparing apples oranges planets 17th century philosophers always meaningless list things review applied pc games mainframe databases web site auction software dna sequencing software setup always list single flaw setup guaranteed mentioned every review every reviewer see say aha make wise4 better kudos product manager wise installation system calling listening litany reasons product wasnt adequate typical iisaspsql applications 1 httpwwwjoelonsoftwarecomnews20021002html 2 httpwwwfogcreekcomfogbugz 3 httpdiscussfogcreekcomdelphiquestions 4 httpwwwwisecom wed 09 oct 2002 080039 0000 feedback posting fogbugz setup fell four