Most code reviews are done in-person, 60%  according to data  from a Forrester Consulting study commissioned by Klocwork.  So how do you accommodate remote sites, out-of-office employees  or off-shore development shops?

Most software developer teams will face some form of remote development challenge during their careers or product cycles.  As demonstrated from the data above, the breakdown of remote need is as follows:

• 76% use some form of outsourcing,
• 64% have some developers  located outside of the main campus,
• 40% of reviews are conducted with remote participants.

You can’t let development come to a grinding halt simply because a critical team member is not physically available at the scheduled time or location.  For most organizations, code reviews need to be performed and employee travel is not the solution for cost and timing reasons.  This has driven the adoption of lightweight review processes and new tools that support it.

Klocwork built a code review tool for this express purpose.  Other ones exist like Code Collaborator and the open source Review Board .  How do you support your remote code reviews?  Email?  Wiki? Or a purpose-built tool like one of the ones mentioned?

In the spirit of the FIFA 2010 World Cup, I thought it would be fitting to describe how software developers can relate to the game.

1. Announcers – Have you ever really listened to what the announcers say?  One of my favorite things to listen to is the very opinionated soccer announcers.  Some of the things they say just make me laugh.  For example, when the announcer was describing the uncertainty of the game – “There’s one thing for certain, there is no score.”  or in this year’s World Cup describing a slow and boring game – “It’s like they are playing in slow motion”.  I’m not saying developers are opinionated…no way ;).  One thing that is similar is the comments developers will put in the code.  One of my favorites:

//When I wrote this, only God and I understood what I was doing
//Now, God only knows

For more funny comments go here.

2. Money – Soccer players do what they love for vast amounts of money.  Developers do what they love…well okay maybe not the second part.




3. Vuvuzelas – whether you like them or not you are stuck with listening to hundreds of Vuvuzelas playing their merry tune.  Despite all the complaints it will continue to haunt spectators until the tournament ends.  So why is everyone blowing the god forsaken plastic tubes?  Well my first guess is that they are drunk, but I think mostly because it is fun.  So as a software developer you don’t get to blow on the vuvuzela but I bet you would want to when you finished your work or the latest complicated feature?  Hopefully this is not because you’re currently drunk.




4. The thumbs up – In a meeting I had with our customer advisory board there was one individual who kept giving the thumbs up.  I understood that he was voicing his agreement with what we were talking about but I never understood why it was always with the thumbs up…until the World Cup started.  Seems to be the universal sign for the soccer players to say “nice ball” or “good play”.




5. Drama – Have you ever noticed how the majority of soccer players act when they have been fouled?  They dive 10 feet in the air, roll 16 times and clutch their chest like they were just shot.  Okay maybe I’m exaggerating a little but the point here is that some of these players are under the impression that they may get nominated for the next Academy award.  How does this relate to the software developer?  Well think of the code review, who really likes hearing that their baby is ugly?