Re: version control

[Tom Tromey <tromey cygnus com>]

Derek> 	"Version control" implies all the advanced features (and
Derek> business policies!) of a real development environment,
Derek> including branches, merging, tags, checkins/checkouts, logs,
Derek> test suites, notifications, etc.

To me it doesn't -- but that doesn't matter.  Feel free to call it
something else.

Derek> It seems like what you are really asking for (and please,
Derek> elaborate) is the ability to revert to previously saved
Derek> versions.

I want to keep a history of versions.  For instance one of my
documents is a whitepaper.  I sent the first version of it to various
people.  Then I got feedback and changed it.  I want to be able to
find that first version again if I should ever need it in the future.

Derek> 	Most existing version control systems don't really deal with
Derek> binary files (or rather, "deal" with them by simply making a
Derek> backup copy every time the file is changed).  If the apps are
Derek> using XML to save their data, we're cool, but if not then
Derek> there's lots of wasted hard drive space.

That isn't relevant to me.  I don't care about the compression
features of RCS.  Look at it this way: if I don't have this feature I
am going to do it by hand using "cp" anyway.  I want automated
convenience, not disk savings.

Derek> 	So what happens when you want to email (only) the latest
Derek> version of the file to a friend?  (Or delete old, obsolete
Derek> versions to save hard drive space?)  Also, RCS doesn't do well
Derek> with binary files.

1. Obviously if I am looking at a particular version then I am looking
at just that version.  If I send it to a friend I want just that
version sent -- no hidden stuff like MS Word.

2. Using RCS was just a suggestion.  I'm sure there are many other
ways to implement it.

Derek> The complication comes from the fact that version control is as
Derek> much a matter of policy/rules as it is a matter of differences
Derek> between files.

This is also a non-problem as far as I'm concerned.
Gnome can do this:

1. Implement it in some pluggable way so that a particular site (or
document set) can override the settings.

2. Ship with a default set of policies that make sense in some common,
easy-to-implement scenario ("person working alone").

Tom