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revision 1.91 by teirllm, Sat Oct 9 18:41:18 2004 UTC revision 1.92 by spiegel, Tue Nov 9 23:36:29 2004 UTC
# Line 1119  such as the creation time of each versio Line 1119  such as the creation time of each versio
1119  description of what was changed in that version.  description of what was changed in that version.
1120    
1121    The Emacs version control interface is called VC.  Its commands work    The Emacs version control interface is called VC.  Its commands work
1122  with three version control systems---RCS, CVS, and SCCS.  The GNU  with different version control systems---currently, it supports CVS,
1123  project recommends RCS and CVS, which are free software and available  GNU Arch, RCS, Meta-CVS, Subversion, and SCCS.  Of these, the GNU
1124  from the Free Software Foundation.  We also have free software to  project distributes CVS, GNU Arch, and RCS; we recommend that you use
1125  replace SCCS, known as CSSC; if you are using SCCS and don't want to  either CVS or GNU Arch for your projects, and RCS for individual
1126  make the incompatible change to RCS or CVS, you can switch to CSSC.  files.  We also have free software to replace SCCS, known as CSSC; if
1127    you are using SCCS and don't want to make the incompatible change to
1128    RCS or CVS, you can switch to CSSC.
1129    
1130    VC is enabled by default in Emacs.  To disable it, set the    VC is enabled by default in Emacs.  To disable it, set the
1131  customizable variable @code{vc-handled-backends} to @code{nil}  customizable variable @code{vc-handled-backends} to @code{nil}
# Line 1164  you want to use. Line 1166  you want to use.
1166  @node Version Systems  @node Version Systems
1167  @subsubsection Supported Version Control Systems  @subsubsection Supported Version Control Systems
1168    
 @cindex RCS  
1169  @cindex back end (version control)  @cindex back end (version control)
1170    VC currently works with three different version control systems or    VC currently works with six different version control systems or
1171  ``back ends'': RCS, CVS, and SCCS.  ``back ends'': CVS, GNU Arch, RCS, Meta-CVS, Subversion, and SCCS.
   
   RCS is a free version control system that is available from the Free  
 Software Foundation.  It is perhaps the most mature of the supported  
 back ends, and the VC commands are conceptually closest to RCS.  Almost  
 everything you can do with RCS can be done through VC.  
1172    
1173  @cindex CVS  @cindex CVS
1174    CVS is built on top of RCS, and extends the features of RCS, allowing    CVS is a free version control system that is used for the majority
1175  for more sophisticated release management, and concurrent multi-user  of free software projects today.  It allows concurrent multi-user
1176  development.  VC supports basic editing operations under CVS, but for  development either locally or over the network.  Some of its
1177  some less common tasks you still need to call CVS from the command line.  shortcomings, corrected by newer systems such as GNU Arch, are that it
1178  Note also that before using CVS you must set up a repository, which is a  lacks atomic commits or support for renaming files.  VC supports all
1179  subject too complex to treat here.  basic editing operations under CVS, but for some less common tasks you
1180    still need to call CVS from the command line.  Note also that before
1181    using CVS you must set up a repository, which is a subject too complex
1182    to treat here.
1183    
1184    @cindex GNU Arch
1185    @cindex Arch
1186      GNU Arch is a new version control system that is designed for
1187    distributed work.  It differs in many ways from old well-known
1188    systems, such as CVS and RCS.  It supports different transports for
1189    interoperating between users, offline operations, and it has good
1190    branching and merging features.  It also supports atomic commits, and
1191    history of file renaming and moving.  VC does not support all
1192    operations provided by GNU Arch, so you must sometimes invoke it from
1193    the command line, or use a specialized module.
1194    
1195    @cindex RCS
1196      RCS is the free version control system around which VC was initially
1197    built.  The VC commands are therefore conceptually closest to RCS.
1198    Almost everything you can do with RCS can be done through VC.  You
1199    cannot use RCS over the network though, and it only works at the level
1200    of individual files, rather than projects.  You should use it if you
1201    want a simple, yet reliable tool for handling individual files.
1202    
1203    @cindex SVN
1204    @cindex Subversion
1205      Subversion is a free version control system designed to be similar
1206    to CVS but without CVS's problems.  Subversion supports atomic commits,
1207    and versions directories, symbolic links, meta-data, renames, copies,
1208    and deletes.  It can be used via http or via its own protocol.
1209    
1210    @cindex MCVS
1211    @cindex Meta-CVS
1212      Meta-CVS is another attempt to solve problems, arising in CVS.  It
1213    supports directory structure versioning, improved branching and
1214    merging, and use of symbolic links and meta-data in repositories.
1215    
1216  @cindex SCCS  @cindex SCCS
1217    SCCS is a proprietary but widely used version control system.  In    SCCS is a proprietary but widely used version control system.  In
1218  terms of capabilities, it is the weakest of the three that VC  terms of capabilities, it is the weakest of the six that VC supports.
1219  supports.  VC compensates for certain features missing in SCCS  VC compensates for certain features missing in SCCS (snapshots, for
1220  (snapshots, for example) by implementing them itself, but some other VC  example) by implementing them itself, but some other VC features, such
1221  features, such as multiple branches, are not available with SCCS.  You  as multiple branches, are not available with SCCS.  You should use
1222  should use SCCS only if for some reason you cannot use RCS.  SCCS only if for some reason you cannot use RCS, or one of the
1223    higher-level systems such as CVS or GNU Arch.
1224    
1225  @node VC Concepts  @node VC Concepts
1226  @subsubsection Concepts of Version Control  @subsubsection Concepts of Version Control

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