[Chandler-dev] Loading developer tools on tinderboxes?

[Dan Steinicke]

Here are two suggestions John made to me that I am now passing on the 
full group.

(1) Proposal to load dev tools on tinderboxes.  After some recent issues 
with the tinderboxes it was proposed that we load the following tools on 
all chandler tinderbox machines:
   * install wing on all tinderboxes
   * install Microsoft Visual studio on all windows tinderboxes
   * install GDB on all non-windows tinderboxes

(2) Proposal to run full build debug tests  in the debugger by passing 
Chandler the --wing option on start up.  John predicts that this will 
cause the tests to run slower by a factor of two or less.

I like these proposals because I believe that they will aid us in 
tracking down and fixing some hard to reproduce errors we have been 
experiencing.  My main concern is the cost to do this, especially 
purchasing MS visual studio.  I have a minor concern about how much 
effort it will take to run the tests in the debugger in a continuous 
tinderbox style but I believe it is worth giving it a shot and finding 
out if this can be done with a modest amount of effort. 

I would value hearing others opinions on these ideas.

Dan