Microsoft snubs Rational?
Posted On Wednesday, May 26, 2004 at at 9:40 AM by FaridGiven that IBM bought Rational, Microsoft is now shunning Rational tools and methodology (RUP) from TechEd. Compuware (test tools) and Borland (requirements management) tools have been presented in keynotes and breakout sessions. RUP is not shipped with VS.net05 team system but rather Agile methodology. I also expect to hear a *lot* more about MS Solution FRamework (MSF) over the next year. Will MSF contend with RUP for the top methodlogy?
What does that mean for Capgemini which has aligned itself to RUP and Rational tools internally for managing its own projects? If history can be our guide, it is safe to assume that delivering Microsoft projects using Rational tools and RUP methodology is going to be very difficult in the future and that Capgemini must have a strategy to support MSF and VSTS in Microsoft projects.
Why would it become difficult to continue to develop using Rational's products? They are still a Microsoft Partner and their products integrate with Visual Studio. It's about choice not shunning Rational or backing different methodologies.
Yes rational will continue to support both java and .NET. This will actually be one of their selling point (see other blog). But you must realize that .NET will not be their platform of choice given their IBM parent. And that Microsoft will do everything in their power to have .NET development use their tool.
Moreover, at TechEd, Microsoft does not talk about Rational tools and methodologies at all. That tells me they do not like each other anymore...
eweek has an article that supports this theory...
http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1759,1598259,00.asp