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I read that in the exact opposite way.

Having whoever screwed up worst buy everyone else beer each week strikes me as a very good way to shame that person, and encourage people to try to avoid being that guy.

Yes, it is done in a joking manner, and it is accepted that everyone will be that guy some time. But I know how I'd react.

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Sounds like something that I have seen/heard at a couple of dev shops. Break the build, buy doughnuts for your team. Not too expensive so as to ruin the person, but enough of a token that you think about what you're doing.

Another variation from http://www.joelonsoftware.com/articles/fog0000000043.html, item 3, break the build, it is now your job to shepherd the daily build until someone else breaks it.

That actually seems a lot more severe a form of punishment than buying donuts. Release management can be a full-time gig.

(Aside: how many articles was Joel planning on writing when he came up with that URL scheme? Crikey.)

That actually seems a lot more severe a form of punishment than buying donuts. Release management can be a full-time gig.

Some teams want everyone to be familiar with how they do it. If that is your goal, you have to pick the unlucky person in some way.

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