TFS vs open source alternatives? [closed]

Question

We're currently in the process of setting up a source control/build/and more-server for .NET development and we're thinking about either utilizing the Team Foundation Server (which costs a lot of dough) or combining several open source options, such as SourceForge Enterprise/GForge and Subversion and CruiseControl.net and so on. Has anyone walked down the full blown OSS road or is it TFS only if you want to get it right and get to work soon?

Answer 1

I've been a daily user of TFS for about 1.5 years now.

• Source control is stable
• You can't easily work disconnected. File check out goes to the server.
• Auto-merge works great, except sometimes it corrupts the source file (encoding problem).
• TFS has a sluggish feel!? Especially the test manager. Managed code?
• There are various silly bugs in the test part, nothing critical.
• Test runs takes too long to start (pending).
• I get SQL deadlocks once in a while!?
• Issue tracking sucks imho. You are forced to work in the slow integrated dialogs, web is display only. I recommend comparing it with other issue tracking systems, like JIRA
• Builds works ok.

Answer 2

We've built up a development stack gradually here, we're currently using:

• Subversion
• CruiseControl
• RedMine (integrates bug tracking with source control and includes wiki, basic project management, etc).

Answer 3

Our company uses the CruiseControl/SVN/nAnt/JIRA combination with great success.

The deal breaker with TFS is that it is only worth it for larger companies. It will be terribly expensive for smallish companies with 30 or less developers, which would already benefit greatly from the above open source combo.

Answer 4

I've seen both in action (though I'm a Java developer). The upsides from a pick and mix approach is that you can choose the best bits for everything (e.g. I'd check out Hudson for CI - its excellent for Java, works for .Net too and has loads of plugins and is really simple to use). The downside is that you have to do all the integration yourself. However, this is getting a lot easier in the Java world. Also, don;t let folks tell you a supported product is better. On many OSS products in this space the quality is excellent and you get better support from the cimmunity rather than waiting for an answer from your vendor's support contract (IBM, I'm looking at you)

Hope this helps.

Answer 5

Subversion + Cruisecontol.Net is a good alternative. SVN is is feature-rich, stable and flexible.