Bug Tracking Points to Consider
A bug tracking system is central to a successful quality control
process. The strategic importance of the purchase becomes clear
when you consider the impact the data can have on your
enterprise. Here are a few points to consider when selecting
your bug tracking solution.
1. Not all bug tracking solutions are alike.
Some bug tracking solutions trap you in a Web-only interface
with its limitations and performance issues. TestTrack Pro gives
you the choice of a true Windows client and a Web-browser
client. Most bug tracking solutions limit you to one server
operating system - Windows. TestTrack Pro gives you the
additional choices of Linux, Solaris, and Mac OS X. Some bug
tracking solutions don't scale well past a dozen users or a few
thousand defects. TestTrack Pro scales easily to handle any team
size.
When selecting a bug tracking solution, make sure you are
getting all of the features you need at a competitive price.
TestTrack Pro is the solution--offering the best mix of
features, architecture, support, and scalability.
2. Not all bug tracking vendors are alike.
Anybody with a little database experience and a copy of MS
Access can build and market a basic bug tracking solution.
Designing a feature-complete solution requires years of effort
and customer feedback. Seapine Software has been developing and
delivering bug tracking solutions since 1995 on multiple
operating systems across a wide range of industries. Seapine
backs its solution with a variety of services and outstanding
customer support. When selecting your bug tracking vendor, ask
yourself "What is their track record? Will this company be
around to help me next year or even next month?"
When considering your bug tracking vendor, ask "How long does it
take to talk to someone in support?" Does the company even offer
telephone support or are you limited to email support? Do they
answer their email in a timely fashion or does it go into the
email black hole?
3. Does your bug tracking solution scale well?
Many solutions are based on MS Access databases or other
database technologies that require you to upgrade the database
back end as your company grows. TestTrack Pro is based on a
fast, industry-standard database engine that easily scales to
handle hundreds of users in multiple geographic locations. Make
sure you are not going through the process of finding a new bug
tracking solution as your company grows.
4. "Open source" does not mean "no cost."
There is a misconception that if something is free, there is no
cost and you automatically save by choosing it as your tool. As
the saying goes, "There is no free lunch." What is the catch?
Hidden costs! Hidden costs include such things as the hours
needed to compile, setup, customize, and maintain the solution.
Many open source solutions require the person administering the
solution be familiar with, if not an expert in, scripting and
one or more programming languages or meta languages. There are
additional costs in upgrading which are further increased if you
have modified the source code. For most development teams, the
cost of the open source effort quickly exceeds the cost of
purchasing and deploying TestTrack Pro.
5. Developing your own solution is not free.
Many database products on the market today can help you build a
solution from scratch. The problem is you are performing a
custom software development effort that includes all of the
costs you currently incur and are able to bill when developing
solutions you sell to your customers. Seapine Software has a
team of software engineers and quality assurance personnel
working full time on improving TestTrack Pro. With an in-house
solution, like an open source solution, the cost of developing
your own solution quickly exceeds the cost of purchasing and
deploying TestTrack Pro.
6. Bug tracking should be easy to install, use, and maintain.
Your bug tracking solution is supposed to save you time. It
should not take days or even hours to install a bug tracking
solution. The software should also work out of the box with
minimal customization. You should be able to customize it as you
are using it. And, you should not have to dedicate a person to
maintain it.
Make sure the product you select saves you time, improves your
process, and allows clear communication of the issues to all
team members. Ease-of-use is a REAL benefit of TestTrack Pro.
Seapine Software delivers a solution that is easy to install,
easy to use, easy to maintain, without compromising features.