RE: Programmer Authorities

[PaulMmn <PaulMmn@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

>If you dont trust your programmers and give them some sense of  your
>confidence
>in them,  they will soon be working for your competitors.
> ----------
>From: midrange-l-owner



Yes, we trust our programmers.  That's why we install programs without
re-compiling them to make sure the object matches the source.  However, as
much as we trust programmers, a certain amount of control is necessary.

When we first moved to our current building, we were involved in a project
to merge 3 databases from assorted machines into our AS400s.  And the edict
came down, "Let the programmers have free access to the production data
base; they can't get their jobs done otherwise."

So they had free access.  And no controls.  And it was hell.   2 people
working on the same program.  Changes to programs that didn't match the
data base, which was also being changed.  And this was the production side.
Users didn't know which way was up.  Any credibility we had as a department
was gone in days.

Which is one reason why we have a change management system.

Another reason is the 'oops' effect:  no matter how conscientious a
programmer may be, there's always that time when things go worng.  Keeping
the programmer sout of the live files helps prevent those times.

And, finally, your auditors get very nervous when programmers have access
to the production environment, with the ability to enter a check in the AP
system and have it mailed to their house, then delete the information from
the files.

--Paul E Musselman
PaulMmn@ix.netcom.com


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