How to peel a banana and build software

Did you know there is more than one way to peel a banana? I had no idea, but due to the internet and my 10 kids, I have now learned no less than 9 ways to peel a banana. Here they are: human, monkey, snap, throw, four split, upside down, thuimbnail, twist, break and peel, and slice and peel. Many of them are just adaptations of 4 of them and one of them uses a knife which with 10 kids in the house is something we actually frown on. Image little kids running around the kitchen with knives and bananas. Not a good sight. The techniques that we use the most: Human, Monkey, Snap and Throw.

1. Human - Most popular, Grab the top of the banana (the part with the stem), grab the banana with your left head and grab the stem with the right hand and peel the stem back. Simple and most people (humans) peel bananas this way.
2. Monkey - Best for ripe bananas and children under 5 or monkey as we call them sometimes. Grab the bottom of the banana with you thumb and index finger squeeze the bottom of the banana with your two fingers until the banana splits. Peel and eat.
3. Snap - Great if you have more kids than bananas. Hold the banana in both hands like holding the handle bars of a bike. Move you hands close together. Do not squeeze the banana too hard. Not rotate your hands in opposite directions The banana will snap in two. 5 bananas can feed 10 kids. Or tie them over for a short period of time. My 5 year old son loves doing this, it makes him feel like a He-Man.
4. Throw - Best for the beginning of a food fight. Use with caution. Grab the stem of the banana in your throwing hand. Hold on tight and make a throwing motion while holding on to the steam of the banana. This takes practice and lots of squished bananas. Sometimes if you don’t hold tight the banana flies across the room. At least that is what I have told my wife when bananas start flying.

Each one of the techniques has the same end result a peeled banana. Although the techniques are different, the results are the same. So why have so many different techniques or methods? I liked the Human the most, because that is what I grew up with. But the Snap and throw can be fun at times. What does that have to do with Build Systems? Just like bananas there are many of them and they all end up with the same results. Software that is executable.

So what is your favorite software build system. There are several techniques and methods. Why do you use the one you have right now? Have you looked at any other ones? Have you broadened your horizons? Or are you stuck with an old system that no one knows how it works and everyone is afraid to change it? I have been in the position myself. Any way here is a list of sites and tools to get you thinking about something different or maybe you will become more enamored with your current Build System.

Build Systems can be broken down into different categories

• Build Scripting languages - Makefile, Ant, Maven, csh, bat
• Integrated development environment builds - Eclipse, Visual Studio, Netbeans, IntelliJ,
• Automated script generators, GNU Automake, CMake, qmake, nmake
• Continuous integration build systems, Jenkins, BuildForge, Bamboo, CruiseControl,ElecticCommander, etc... Click here for an complete list
• Release Management systems - Maven, ClearCase, Perforce, Jazz SCM, Git
• Build Avoidance systems - ClearMake, Maven, Ant, Meister

Other areas that tend to be grouped into the build systems because of the automations are:

• unit level testing and  - List is too long check out this site
• automated software configuration management systems - Perforce, RTC, ClearCase UCM, etc...

I hope you have broadened your horizons a little and see that there is so much more out there that can be leveraged to make your software development experience more productive. And maybe have fun peeling bananas.

DWP