Pessimistic locking approach for version control is an efficiency killer. And yet all customer facing projects I have worked on in the past few years using Visual Source Safe in this manner.

Concurrent Versions System (CVS) approach of concurrent development in sandboxes is the way to go in my opinion. Developers never have to wait for someone else to “check in” a file. Developers work on the needed files. If two developers work on the same file, the code changes are merged by the last developer who wishes to commit the changes to the repository. An optimistic locking approach to version control. Imagine that.

Most if not all web-based applications developed today use optimistic locking. It’s funny how developers continue use tools configured to not use optimistic locking. Sort of hypocritical in a way.

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