UCM, why?

I tried to explain that one should not use UCM, but stick to base ClearCase instead. Why then are many (although by large not all of those using ClearCase) companies using it? Why was it developed?

The reason is: it is often arguably better than what was developed by the customers before (and what is still used at some of the ones who did not switch to UCM...) Indeed, ClearCase has many times proven an effective weapon to shoot oneself in the foot. Of course, I shall be the last to blame ClearCase for this. On the contrary, I'll blame in most cases traditional CM.

People not competent with ClearCase have failed to understand the power of the tool, and the beauty of the management it made possible. They have been blinded instead by a void of control, and have built tools to enforce short-sighted processes. They have in fact got caught in the same kind of over-specification pitfalls as found with UCM (see e.g. the problems with publishing by merging), but often, with poorer tools (scripts), and lesser competence than the Rational (and now IBM) developers.

-- MarcGirod - 27 Nov 2007