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I once inherited a large enterprise system I had to build a full working development environment for and then learn the code base and help bring a team up to sp

I once inherited a large enterprise system I had to build a full working development environment for and then learn the code base and help bring a team up to speed. The product was essentially made up of 5 code bases in a single repo that built and deployed 5 different executables that worked together. That itself wasn't so bad, it was mostly modern C# and I found it a decent code base to work on. What was bad was that one of the modules that we were expected to support was written entirely in VB6. The last stable release of VB6 was in 1998. I couldn't just download something and install it and work with the VB6. It turns out that the accepted solution according to stackoverflow, and this is the conclusion I came to independently too, was to go on EBay and try to buy a copy of software/compiler/IDE/whatever and then to even get it to install and work you need to do all kinds of things like turning off certain keys in the registry before installation and enabling them again afterwards then doing a bunch of other modifications to make sure that it actually works when run in compatibly mode with Windows XP. Our official line was we went from supporting 5/5 modules to 4/5 modules. Fun times.

iamleppert 8y ago
Do they not make Virtual Machines where you come from? Or am I missing something?
- nradov 8y ago
  Even getting a VM running that can properly support VB6 is a non-trivial exercise, especially if you want to properly adhere to Microsoft's licenses.
- james_s_tayler 8y ago
  Well no, that particular office didn't. The office I was a part of did. Suffice to say their DevOps-fu was slightly weak compared to the rest of the organization. I was the one who actually set out to build the VM image. Not a trivial task at all to get the VB6 side of it running. Which is the exact reason we are supposed to do things like making VMs for development environments. It would be nice to be at all places in all points of time with perfect knowledge in order to stop bullshit from happening in the first place but I can only be here and now.
jack-facts 8y ago
Ha, I just left a job that had multiple VB6 apps and services that we were actively maintaining and extending. Getting the development environment setup wasn't too bad. What drove me bat shit crazy, was the fact that the mouse scroll wheel isn't supported in the IDE. I was part of the third team that left in as many years. Just another lesson of a single individual being the only decision maker across all departments. It was kind of sad everyone came in trying their best to improve the software and environment, but they were quickly shot down by their boss. If you didn't copy paste his code you'd get a snarky email a few days later about not following the guidelines, that were never written down mind you. My lesson for rewriting a legacy application, have the right management in place. If there is an old dev that does not want to change, the project is a waste of time and money, he'll have more sway over the executive team and often get his way.
- james_s_tayler 8y ago
  On all accounts mentioned that sounds like the ultimate torture. I legitimately can't work out if such an intolerable boss is more painful or the constant need to scroll the IDE and having to do it without the mousewheel. I feel for you. I truly do.

iamleppert 8y ago

Do they not make Virtual Machines where you come from? Or am I missing something?

nradov 8y ago
Even getting a VM running that can properly support VB6 is a non-trivial exercise, especially if you want to properly adhere to Microsoft's licenses.
james_s_tayler 8y ago
Well no, that particular office didn't. The office I was a part of did. Suffice to say their DevOps-fu was slightly weak compared to the rest of the organization. I was the one who actually set out to build the VM image. Not a trivial task at all to get the VB6 side of it running. Which is the exact reason we are supposed to do things like making VMs for development environments. It would be nice to be at all places in all points of time with perfect knowledge in order to stop bullshit from happening in the first place but I can only be here and now.

jack-facts 8y ago

Ha, I just left a job that had multiple VB6 apps and services that we were actively maintaining and extending. Getting the development environment setup wasn't too bad. What drove me bat shit crazy, was the fact that the mouse scroll wheel isn't supported in the IDE. I was part of the third team that left in as many years. Just another lesson of a single individual being the only decision maker across all departments. It was kind of sad everyone came in trying their best to improve the software and environment, but they were quickly shot down by their boss. If you didn't copy paste his code you'd get a snarky email a few days later about not following the guidelines, that were never written down mind you. My lesson for rewriting a legacy application, have the right management in place. If there is an old dev that does not want to change, the project is a waste of time and money, he'll have more sway over the executive team and often get his way.

james_s_tayler 8y ago
On all accounts mentioned that sounds like the ultimate torture. I legitimately can't work out if such an intolerable boss is more painful or the constant need to scroll the IDE and having to do it without the mousewheel. I feel for you. I truly do.