Posted by Joseph on 2/1/2007 1:04 AM | Comments (26)

Inspired by application certification programs such as Microsoft's new “Works with Windows Vista” logo program I'd like to introduce a new, developer focused “Works on My Machine” application certification program. This new certification communicates to team members, testers, BA's and project sponsors that not only did you compile the code before checking it in, but that you actually ran the application and exercised in some small way the feature(s) in question.

By following the technical certification requirements below you earn the right to brand your app with the “Works on My Machine” logo.
higher-res version

Technical Certification Requirements

  • Compile your application code with the relevant compiler. Note: Getting the latest version of any recent code changes from other developers is purely optional and not a requirement for certification.
  • Launch the application/site that has just been compiled.
  • Cause one code-path in the code you're checking in to be executed. Note: the preferable way to do this is with very ad-hoc manual testing of the simplest case for the feature in question. The Stovell Institute for Application Assurance suggests that it is possible to omit this step if the code change was less than five lines, or if (in the developer's professional opinion) the code change could not possibly result in an error.
  • Check the code changes into your version control system.

Notification Requirements

While you are not required to disclose to testers, customers etc. that your product has attained this bench-mark in application certification it is highly probable that you will wish to do so. Although you will be justifiably proud of this accomplishment it is advisable to cultivate an air of casual smug-ness when mentioning that it “works on my machine”, rather than outright gleeful gloating. 

Comments

dcw on 2/1/2007 8:29 AM Love it! Although, I fear that many machines in certain corporate environments have had this certification, but lost the sticker.
Bruce McLeod on 2/1/2007 9:23 AM Joseph,



This is brilliant. I was rolling on the floor when I read this. This is going on my blog for sure !



Bruce
Paul Glavich on 2/3/2007 12:16 PM Awesome. Looks like all my apps are certified and ready to go.



Is there a migration strategy whitepaper when moving from an old machine to a new machine?

Smile



Perhaps even a few guidelines around how to go about achieving this certification so that it can not possibly work anywhere else except on your machine. It could be like gold certification... Wink
Mike Fitzsimon on 2/12/2007 12:43 PM Maybe a bronze-level certification could be "Works on MY Machine (Fridays and Sundays only)"
Matt Blodgett on 3/16/2007 12:23 AM Nice.  An oft-quoted, but rarely comforting phrase.
Martin Plante on 3/16/2007 1:09 AM Personally, I'd only require step 1 (compile), and allow warnings. Your certification requirements are still too high for me. BTW, what is a "version control system"?



qWink
Gabe Garza
Gabe Garza on 3/16/2007 4:46 AM Finally, a "Certification" Program that matters.



Tiago Salgado on 3/18/2007 2:21 PM Still missing a certification. The "It works on my machine YESTERDAY"... Smile
Henry on 3/19/2007 4:22 AM Of course, the real question is: how does one become an IWOMM Certified Engineer?
Peter on 3/19/2007 7:31 AM This is all mearly an extension of the standard release process...



http://www.theloonies.co.uk/1997.03/0023.html">http://www.theloonies.co.uk/1997.03/0023.html
Ted
Ted on 3/19/2007 9:22 AM I agree with the previous comment that the certification is too hard to get. At my current place it's much too difficult to "Check the code changes into your version control system". These expectations are just far too high, there's no way we can change our practices to meet these lofty standards.
John Robo
John Robo on 3/19/2007 9:27 AM How juvenile!
jc2it
jc2it on 3/19/2007 9:34 AM Brillant!
Steve
Steve on 3/19/2007 11:43 AM At last, what has been the pseudo standard for developers is official! A link went straight on our Wiki standards page Smile
Ryan
Ryan on 3/20/2007 5:39 AM To be technically accurate, I think it should be "Worked on my Machine".  Who's to say the test passes now, or into the future.
Ron Gonzales
Ron Gonzales on 3/20/2007 7:29 AM Marvelous!! Another would be "It Works on My Machine awhile ago" Smile
Jess
Jess on 4/4/2007 2:58 PM Also phrased as: "Workin' fine for me"
Heinrich Beck on 4/9/2007 7:13 AM This new certification should be written up as a white paper and incorporated into CMMI Level 9 and Six Sigma as soon as possible.
Kit S Ho
Kit S Ho on 4/21/2007 10:35 AM I was laugthing so hard ...

Need a "Darn I swear it worked before" certification Smile, it is a higher certification than the IWOMM one.



denis76257 on 4/10/2008 11:04 AM fdxcbcfcxf
some dude
some dude on 4/27/2008 2:00 PM Where can I buy a t-shirt?
Wojtek on 5/17/2008 11:43 AM Great idea with that certificationSmile Is there any dev who hadn't even once said "..., but It Works on My Machine" ?
paper machines on 6/19/2008 7:02 PM Although you will be justifiably proud of this accomplishment it is advisable to cultivate an air of casual smug-ness when mentioning that it “works on my machine”, rather than outright gleeful gloating.

chasbabb on 8/8/2008 1:29 AM Usually prefaced with "hmmm... interesting...."
Jessica on 8/23/2008 1:21 AM !
Concerned For the Future
Concerned For the Future on 4/9/2009 1:31 AM Concerned about the logo design... who has a 4x3 CRT monitor and a horizontal case these days?
Comments are closed