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Home > Archive > SSW Standards > Better Software Suggestions > SSW Microsoft Visual SourceSafe (aka VSS) Suggestions (OLD – Microsoft replaced with TFS)

  1. Could VSS have the backend on SQL Server?
  2. Could there be a backup and a restore option somewhere?
  3. Could VSS be faster over VPN?
  4. When comparing differences (with Diff) between two versions, you should be able to edit in place
  5. It should automatically merge offline edited files
  6. VSS needs to able to accept connections over the Internet * Fixed by VSS 2005 *
  7. Update File Dialogs * Fixed by VSS 2005 *
  8. VSS should be scalable
  9. Links

  1. Could VSS have the backend on SQL Server?

    This would speed up data access.

  2. Could there be a backup and a restore option somewhere?

  3. Could VSS be faster over VPN?

    Why is it so slow at the moment over VPN?

    Visual SourceSafe 2005
    The speed performance has been enhanced in VSS8, but still considered slow.

  4. When comparing differences (with Diff) between two versions, you should be able to edit in place

  5. It should automatically merge offline edited files

    It should automatically merge offline edited files. Currently when you come back onto the network it doesn't merge, insteadit asks "Which file do you want to keep?". eg. If you edit one function online and edit another function one offline why not just merge them?

  6. VSS needs to able to accept connections over the Internet * Fixed by VSS 2005 *

    Update: Visual SourceSafe 2005 - Fixed
    Web access over HTTP is now supported.

  7. Update File Dialogs * Fixed by VSS 2005 *

    The file dialogs are very old and badly need an update. Currently even UNC's are time consuming to access.

    Update: Visual SourceSafe 2005 - Fixed
    SourceSafe 2005's UI has been updated.

  8. VSS should be scalable

    Microsoft Visual SourceSafe (VSS), the version control system for Visual Studio .NET, works just fine on small projects. However, when doing enterprise-level projects where you may have to pass up to 10,000 lines of code and have 10 simultaneous users, SourceSafe can have trouble scaling.

    Visual Source Safe is targeted towards the needs of individual developers or small developer teams.


    Until Microsoft makes a version of SourceSafe that works with SQL Server, we have to rely on alternative, 3rd party tools for source control.

    Alternatives include:

    • Team Foundation Server
    • SourceGear Vault
    • PerforcePerforce no good because it has a terrible cryptic
    • StarTeam
    • Source Integrity

  9. Links

    A more comprehensive list of Visual SourceSafe Defects - Michael Bolton
    Microsoft has created a new source control system named Team Foundation Server, a part of Visual Studio Team System. This product addresses many of Visual SourceSafe's shortcomings which will make it suitable for larger enterprise teams.
    Source safe is dead - all these suggestions have been moved to TFS - The Best Source Control And bug System

Acknowledgements

Adam Cogan