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September 5, 2007

Slava Imeshev
Slava on Everything is about »
» Beta for Parabuild 3.2 Is Open, Now With Automatic Merging (Integration) for Perforce

It is official: Parabuild 3.2 Beta is out! We've just announced the beginning of a beta program for Parabuild 3.2, the Continuous Integration and Software Release Management System. Viewtier offers a free license for each new bug found in beta builds!

To join the beta program jump to http://www.viewtier.com/products/parabuild/eap.htm

What's New In Parabuild 3.2

Parabuild 3.2 adds Automerge, an automatic inter-branch merging (integration) for Perforce and over 50 enhancements to its build and release management, build telemetry, user interface, version control integration and notification subsystems.

Other cool things include integration with Checkstyle, PHPUnit, CPPUnit, PMD statistics and build time-to-fix.

Check screen shots and detailed descriptions of the new features.

by Slava Imeshev at 7:34 PM under build automation , configuration , continuous , integration , management , release , software
August 6, 2007

Slava Imeshev
Slava on Everything is about »
» Continuous Integration is not about the CI server, or, is it?



I have stumbled upon Paul Duval's weblog entry "Continuous Integration is NOT about the CI server". Paul rightfully dismisses CruiseControl as "The" CI server and then proceeds to questioning having becoming a norm interchangeable use of the practice and the tools of Continuous Integration.

I agree with Paul in that it is often forgotten that Continuous Integration is a practice that spells small, often, but meaningful check-ins. Tools themselves do not make Continuous Integration and without the practice are mostly useless.

Yet, Continuous Integration is a lucky case of a practice that is well supported by tools, Continuous Integration systems, which makes it even more powerful. A Continuous Integration system such as Parabuild provides immediate feedback on quality of changes and allows a team practicing Continuous Integration quickly fixing a build breakage. Teams using such systems are confident in the changes they make, so they can move forward fast.

It is not possible without a Continuous Integration system in place. Dismissing such tools, Continuous Integration may cause more problems than bring benefits. Value of frequent check-ins without an automated validation is low at best.

References:

Paul Duval: Continuous Integration is NOT about the CI server

by Slava Imeshev at 3:57 PM under build automation , continuous , integration