I'd say going without these tools and procedures *will* make for an epic nightmare. Since any self-respecting software engineer can work from anyplace, you'll basically always be "on call". Therefore, it's pretty likely that one day, another engineer will hack together something sloppy for a fix on one thing, and that will break another thing, and you will need to take a break from your vacation. Since you've already been in a good spot, you can see how bad it *can* be. At any interview I'm on, I make a point to ask about their version control systems, ticketing systems, deployment environments, testing methodologies, etc. A lot of startups don't place much emphasis on these. I usually pass on these jobs. I'd rather have my free-time than make a boatload of $$. Looking at the big picture, I don't blame the developers for these oversights. I believe it should be the job of management to set company-wide standards for these things, and enforce the use of them. Personally, management may be amicable/generous, but in the end it's not a nice thing to do to any developer, whether the oversight is intentional or not. My advice would be to educate yourself on the specific advantages of these tools/procedures, discuss them with your fellow developers to get buy-in, then assemble a small group and educate management on them. When speaking to developers, emphasize quality of life, and with management, emphasize quality and stability.

funny and true. In many other countries, you wouldn't even see this case go to trial - the head of the recording industry would have called the president, had the kid executed by the police, and the state-run media wouldn't be allowed to cover it.