Monday, May 01, 2006

Gemini Version 2.0

A while ago, I downloaded a free version of Gemini. Gemini is an issue tracking tool by Countersoft. I have been using Gemini locally for over a year, and I really dig it. In order to use Gemini in conjunction with a project team, you need to put it on an external facing web server, which requires a license. I had not used the tool in this capacity due to my company's use of SharePoint. However, as our project is in it's second year and our issue list was approaching 300 items (including all tasks, enhancements, and bugs), SharePoint just wasn't giving me the reporting options I needed to communicate our enhancement actual versus estimated time to my project sponsor. Finally, I decided to make the switch to a licensed version of Gemini. It was a bit of a pain to convert old Gemini issues over the the new version. I had to turn off some constraints in the database as the SQL schema between version 1.0 and 2.0 changed. The time investment was well worth it, though. Now I can quickly report on the changes made with each new release by using Gemini's Road Map and I have the ability to use SRS to report on time.

I couldn't receommend Gemini high enough. I do wonder how Team Systems may replace my need to use Gemini in upcoming projects, however. Have any of you used Team Systems in conjunction with web parts or web services for giving your clients a view into project status and issues, and allowing your project sponsors the ability to upload new issues or tasks?