[p4] P4V vs. P4WIN

[Sheizaf, Yariv]

Hi Jeff,

P4V is usable - many users work with it, and as you said, if they do not know P4Win they maybe like it.

However, when compare P4V and P4WIN with competitive tools GUIs (Starteam SurrondSCM, ClearCase, some CVS Windows UIs, etc.), the typical rating is:

1. P4WIN
2-... - some competitors
N-1 to N - P4V and maybe another one competitor.

The first and critical indicator is the level of Intuitivity - and here P4V fails.
This is necessary in order to sell the product to people who have high skills in other tools usage.

I know at least two companies that installed Perforce with P4V for evaluation, did not find "their legs and hands", took another tool for evaluation and bought it (even in all technical parameters Perforce was better). It never happened in my country with P4WIN, and I tell about more than 20 sites that chose Perforce with my consultancy. 

In the last two years the stability and performance of P4V improved, but they still not in the level of P4WIN.   

Regards,

Yariv Sheizaf
   

-----Original Message-----
From: Jeff Jensen [mailto:jeffjensen at upstairstechnology.com] 
Sent: א, אפריל 15, 2007 3:32 
To: Sheizaf, Yariv; perforce-user at perforce.com
Subject: RE: [p4] P4V vs. P4WIN

Your assertions are strong, and would be best supported with examples.

1.5 years ago, I sold/rolled out Perforce at another customer (a 52 user
purchase).  For GUI, I completely ignored P4Win, and used P4V exclusively.
It was very successful; not "hard" and not "problematic" as you assert
below.

I am still working at that customer, and users really like P4V's features.
Perhaps the reason is they had no exposure to P4Win, so they had no
preconceived notions as to how it should work.

I also know P4Win well.  6 years ago, I rolled out my first Perforce
installation, and used P4Win.  It was good, worked well, users liked it.  I
still think it is fine.  Once you mentally divorce your mind from it, P4V is
also good.

While P4V needs continued improvement as most software, from my experience,
it is far from unusable and problematic, as you infer.

I am particularly interested in your examples, as then Perforce can see them
and improve P4V based on your experience.


-----Original Message-----
From: perforce-user-bounces at perforce.com
[mailto:perforce-user-bounces at perforce.com] On Behalf Of Sheizaf, Yariv
Sent: Sunday, April 15, 2007 1:43 AM
To: perforce-user at perforce.com
Subject: Re: [p4] P4V vs. P4WIN

Hi,

P4WIN is intuitive, P4V is NOT.

P4Win is almost 100% stabilized and always with very HIGH performance,
while P4V is not.

Unix oriented users install P4win on their PCs, use the AltRoot option
and work from P4win because P4V UI is problematic.

The great "revision graph" is included in P4V installation, but if you
install both you get it also in P4win.

And, if you should sell Perforce (to real new customers) or "internal
sell" (to your company developers) - it always succeed with P4WIN, very
hard if you give them P4V.

Regards,

Yariv Sheizaf

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