Why I Hate Software Dev

2018-01-03

Ugh!!! This is why I hate computer dev! 🤣

So I decide I want to fix the CSS on vsa.com for Windows. In particular I wanted to try to fix the scrollbars so they look like the MacOS version. I'm thinking it will only take a few mins.

So I decide to start vsa.com in dev mode on Windows. (I normally do that dev on Mac).

Ok

Okay, F!!!, I don't want my machine effed up when different versions of meteor needed for one project vs another. Rant mode on, I wish all dev worked without installing anything globally or needing any kind of admin. As we learn of more and more exploits you should NEVER EVER BE ASKED FOR ADMIN. EVER!!!. I know it will be years or decades until this BS stops. Millions of machines will get powned by running un standboxed software that has exploits and installs via admin but until then I guess VMs it is 😡.

Eventually I got meteor running only to find out that tar on macOS and tar on Linux have different options and the ones I was using to re-write paths as I untar a backup won't work on Linux. I try restoring the DB manually but it doesn't work (no errors, but nothing showing up on the site).

I guess this is just par for the course. Doing new stuff is always a pain in the ass. It always takes time to setup something new and get it working and it's only after you've done that that you then go back to ignoring it because it's only important once every few months or years. Then next time you need to do it it's been so long that it's all changed and you have to spend the hours or even sometimes days getting your dev environmnet setup for your new project. Unfortunately new projects are getting more common or rather switching between many projects all with different needs for globally installed software is becoming far more common.

Still, it's super frustrating when you think something is going to only take a few mins and just getting to the point where you can actually do those few mins takes hours.

Finally I did what I probably should have done in the first place. I just run the mac version and go to http://<ipOfMac>:3000 on Windows, edit on Mac, check on Windows. I'm done in a few. Now if only all the browsers had a standard for scrollbar styling as it only works in Chrome.

Comments
Panopticlick Hyperbole
Software Development is never simple