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I'm in the process of trying to introduce Version/Revision Control to a team of developers who have never used it. I'll be giving a presentation that I hope will be a persuasive explanation of the importance of Version Control -- the benefits of using it and the liabilities of avoiding it. I'd like to kick it off with an amusing but instructive list modelled after the "redneck" line of jokes. Can anyone help me add to this list?

"You know you're a Version Control Avoider if..."

  • You have a bunch of files or folders with names like Engine_05212012_works_old[2].cpp
  • You've had to explain to your boss how you accidentally overwrote production code.

I don't consider myself terribly witty, but I think a little humor could be helpful in this situation. Any ideas for how to extend this list?

[Bonus points if you can suggest a better moniker than "Version Control Avoider"]

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Good idea, but not a good fit for Programmer.SE (or SE in general), sadly. – Joachim Sauer Nov 19 '12 at 18:22
Yeah, you're soliciting for lists of information. This would have flown a few years ago (before my time). SE is trying to move to more of a question->answer format where there's one distinct answer, and less forum-like conversation. – Philip Nov 19 '12 at 20:37
Insulting your audience, overtly or implicitly, is not going to persuade them of anything. A list like that wouldn't persuade me, and I already agree with you. Show them what it can do for them. What sorts of busywork would they not have to do? What sorts of problems would no longer bother them? – Michael Shaw Nov 19 '12 at 23:41

closed as not constructive by Oded♦, Mason Wheeler, Joachim Sauer, gbjbaanb, Walter Nov 19 '12 at 18:28

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1 Answer

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You know you're a Version Control Avoider if...

  1. You've ever said, "Oh, we don't have conflicts in this project, no one ever needs to change my code, and if they do they just ask me." Just go ask your co-workers how well this is working for them.

  2. You don't understand why anyone else would ever need to build a production system from anything other than your laptop.

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3. You've asked people to open windows explorer and read what the "modified date" was on the executable in question. – Philip Nov 19 '12 at 20:32

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