Sun Microsystems Streamlines Software Development Using Visual SlickEdit

Sun Microsystems, Inc. is a leading provider of enterprise-class hardware, software, and services that power the Internet. With the growth of the Internet, there has been an exponential increase in the amount of data that companies receive through different channels of communication. This information needs to be quickly and efficiently stored and easily accessible. The ability to store huge amounts of data while increasing ease of use and availability can provide a distinct competitive advantage in the marketplace. A major player in the storage market, Sun™ transforms traditional server-attached storage boxes into dynamic, intelligent, networked-based storage services.

Developers at Sun have been using Visual SlickEdit® for many years. Michael Tibbets, senior software developer for Sun’s Network Storage Solutions group, has been using the SlickEdit® product since 1991 for building, debugging, and editing code. His team works on Solaris™ device drivers, which ensure that Sun’s hardware products function as intended within the Solaris operating environment.

Visual SlickEdit Speeds Up Code Analysis and Navigation

Visual SlickEdit, a multi-platform, multi-language editing environment, includes a graphical user interface that allows developers to quickly analyze source code, compare files side-by-side, and program in their preferred coding style and preferred language. “We use the C development environment and Perl and C shell for scripting,” says Tibbets. “Visual SlickEdit is a great product for full integration.”

Tibbets has worked with Visual SlickEdit on almost every operating platform available. “Visual SlickEdit works transparently across every operating platform,” he states. “I even use it in embedded environments. This is definitely a key feature of the product.”

Visual SlickEdit excels in its code navigation capabilities. The Context Tagging™ feature enables Sun’s developers to maintain a database of symbols for their source files and to indicate which symbols are currently being edited. Files are retagged when they are saved or added to a project or when an idle time threshold is reached. “Visual SlickEdit’s tagging feature, a key competitive advantage for the company, provides a huge benefit,” comments Tibbets. “Tagging is very easy to set up. In fact, I can set up a new workspace within minutes.”

Visual SlickEdit also lets the Sun developers tailor the editing environment to their individual programming styles. A favorite feature is the customizable toolbars, which can be placed almost anywhere on the screen. The developers also appreciate the ability to supply their own color schemes to multiple screens and source code. In addition, frequently used commands can be mapped to keystrokes for ease of use. “The high level of customization increases both our productivity and our efficiency,” says Tibbets. 

Tibbets’ group is especially impressed with Visual SlickEdit’s DIFFzilla™ feature, which allows developers to view and merge changes between two files, two directories, or two source trees. DIFFzilla greatly facilitates integration for large teams of developers. “We work with very big files, up to 120,000 lines, with the average file around 40,000 lines,” explains Tibbets. “DIFFzilla handles these large files like a champ.”

Easy-to-Use, Multi-Platform Editing Environment Cuts Learning Curve

Tibbets has used Visual SlickEdit in six different organizations over the years. According to Tibbets, by eliminating the learning curve, Visual SlickEdit has saved him an average of six months per job. “In each new work situation, I have been able to hit the ground running and have an immediate impact on the organization.” He adds that Visual SlickEdit enables him to quickly navigate through large amounts of code, which also enhances his efficiency and productivity.

Visual SlickEdit’s ease-of-use features allow the Sun developers to work flexibly together. “My colleagues and I can easily work from one another’s desks,” says Tibbets. “This is highly unusual with most editing products, which typically introduce barriers to communication among the members of a development team.”

Tibbets is also very impressed with the level of customer support that his team receives from SlickEdit. “The company’s customer service, technical support, and purchasing departments are exceptional,” he emphasizes. “We have received very fast responses to technical issues.”

For Tibbets, it is the complete package that makes a difference. From the powerful multi-platform and ease-of-use features to the excellent customer support of the product, Visual SlickEdit is a product he cannot do without.