MbUnit poobah Andy Stopford threw up a link to the Joel Test the other day.  He got a comment that went a little something like:

“Hey thanks for the link to the Joel test. I now have more arguments to convince my bosses on the importance of working in a quiet environment, using the best tools money can buy, among other things.”

Buddy, I gotta tell ya, if you have to find arguments to convince your bosses that programmers need quiet, good tools, and so on, you gotta get out of that job.  Like now.  Even if the offers are not being thrown at your feet, you need to be looking to better deal that place ASAP.  Because if you work for people who don’t understand those basic things, you will be a miserable, underpaid, unappreciated, and overworked software developer.  I once worked in a small “office” that was in the middle of a machine shop.  You know, one of those corrugated metal warehouse jobbies.  And the noise was ridiculous.  Not only did I have to listen to CNC Machines, welding, saws, and all kinds of other crap, but whenever the phone rang in the real office (I didn’t work in there…not that it would have been much better) a loud-ass buzzer went off in the shop so it could be heard.  Not only that, but if it got cold outside, or at night (it does get chilly a few days a year here in central FL) it was freezing ass cold in my “office”.  Such that I wore my jacket all day and my hands froze.

So yeah man, you gotta bail on that job if something as simple as “quiet working conditions” escapes the powers that be.

On my end, I introduced The Joel Test to my team back in like February.  We were a 3 at the time.  No reason to panic or anything, the team had just come together and we weren’t even coding a major project yet.  My goal at the time was to be at 9 by August.  We checked in at an 11 in August (missing up to date schedule) and we’re running at a solid 12 right now.

The Joel Test is very simple, and it’s by no means like…the only philosophy for running a development department.  But think of it as a quick and dirty checklist to monitor the health of the effort.  In that role it has great value.  If you can run at a 11/12 on the Joel Test then you can at least have the satisfaction of knowing that, at least from 30,000 feet, you are doing the right thing.

A quick note on the “use the best tools money can buy”.  I agree with the spirit, but not the letter, of that statement.  Use the best tools for you, at the most reasonable price available.  My toolbox is like 90% free or open-source.  NAnt, CruiseControl, MbUnit, Reflector, Regulator, and so on and so forth.  There are non-free things out there in each of those categories I’m sure, but I’d bet dollars to donuts that you, me, and that guy over there (yeah…you) are using the free stuff.  Because they’re the best, or at least so damn good it doesn’t make sense to buy some one-off version.  On the other hand, my group all gets MSDN Universal subscriptions and all the best Microsoft stuff, because VS.Net and related tools are in fact the best money can buy.  All I’m sayin is, price != value.  Use the best tools for you.