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???
08/05/10 22:37
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#177746 - Directory copies not really fun for version control
Responding to: ???'s previous message
I use CVS or similar for just about everything.

Source code, configuration files for servers, todo lists, ...

It's a lot of extra work to fool around with backup directories.

With a real repository, I can request an annotated list of a file, where every single source line mentions which time and owner of commit.
And when viewing the difference in a file between file revision 1.22 and 1.23, I can see my comments I wrote at the time when I commetted the changes - for example: "Bugzilla #917: Added support for redundant configuration servers."

Between two releases, a single file may have changed 20 times. I then have all these 20 copies available, together with 20 comments regarding the changes. An I can instantly select between which two versions I want to see a diff.

Since I do a lot of Linux development, I'm quite comfortable with setting up or configure machines so it doesn't take many minutes to get one more repository including working backup.

But as I mentioned earlier: it's possible to download a complete virtual machine with CVS or SVN preinstalled. And one physical machine can handle many virtual machines - especially since a virtual machine only used for a repository needs no CPU time and very little RAM.

There are many alternatives for backup:
- taking a copy of the full virtual machine image.
- letting the virtual machine share a directory tree as SMB or NFS, to let some machine on the network backup just relevant files.
- letting the virtual machine share a directory tree with the host machine.
- letting the virtual machine run a backup program that sends backups to a shared disk or backup server somewhere.

For a company that already have working backup solutions, it doesn't take special skills to have such a virtual machine fully activated with backup in 1-3 hours of work. Obviously less, if the company do have someone skilled.

But going the zip-file or directory-tree-duplicate route is a very inefficient method. It is prone to accidents or forgetfulnes while at the same time giving much worse trackability. A repository is not just great/required/obligatory for team projects. They are just as useful for one-man operations.

I think I have even seen (but alas don't remember where) some cheap Ethernet-connected disk box that contained not just a web server and ftp but also CVS and SVN. You added two internal disks for mirroring. Powered it up and gave it a name and IP. Then either configured backup to an USB disk or a shared disk volume somewhere on the network.

List of 59 messages in thread
TopicAuthorDate
time and money            01/01/70 00:00      
   My take.            01/01/70 00:00      
      Not obvious that an ICE is faster to use than print            01/01/70 00:00      
         I recall a comment            01/01/70 00:00      
            Good to look at available hw early on in project            01/01/70 00:00      
               I'd love to dump the values from the ADC channels ...            01/01/70 00:00      
                  Always a question of making most use of what you got            01/01/70 00:00      
                  Where there's a will ...            01/01/70 00:00      
                     ... there's a way.            01/01/70 00:00      
   investing in good tools            01/01/70 00:00      
      Cost benefit insanity            01/01/70 00:00      
         "We will save money ...            01/01/70 00:00      
         costs, one-time and repeated            01/01/70 00:00      
            VMware may be an alternative            01/01/70 00:00      
            subversion server            01/01/70 00:00      
               time is money            01/01/70 00:00      
                  A price estimate            01/01/70 00:00      
                     svn cost            01/01/70 00:00      
                        I most often _am_ the IT support            01/01/70 00:00      
                           Then that's the major difference            01/01/70 00:00      
                              Don't you think I try to avoid it too?            01/01/70 00:00      
                        re: svn cost estimate            01/01/70 00:00      
                           Cost for single user            01/01/70 00:00      
                              RE: I'd hope to do it in less than one hour.            01/01/70 00:00      
                                 True, back to time and money though            01/01/70 00:00      
                                    Investment            01/01/70 00:00      
                  revision control when money is scarce and volume is small            01/01/70 00:00      
                     Far too infrequent!            01/01/70 00:00      
                     Directory copies not really fun for version control            01/01/70 00:00      
                        no, I agree            01/01/70 00:00      
                           VCS on your own            01/01/70 00:00      
                              Ditto that            01/01/70 00:00      
                                 Further...            01/01/70 00:00      
                     So inadequate            01/01/70 00:00      
                        that's no difference            01/01/70 00:00      
                  svn benefits            01/01/70 00:00      
                     why?            01/01/70 00:00      
                        Working files, released files, change logs            01/01/70 00:00      
                           a comment on 'revision control' and such            01/01/70 00:00      
                              If a new version does not work find out why            01/01/70 00:00      
                                 the basic premise of my post was ...            01/01/70 00:00      
                                    Thats a good point, but            01/01/70 00:00      
                              Let a pro have good tools - don't worry about fools            01/01/70 00:00      
                              Revert safety net            01/01/70 00:00      
         Budget Insanity            01/01/70 00:00      
            Dilbert            01/01/70 00:00      
   Right Tools            01/01/70 00:00      
      Well, I'm with you there ...            01/01/70 00:00      
      Design            01/01/70 00:00      
   For "professionals" this is good advice, but...            01/01/70 00:00      
      This is exactly what I've been harping on ...            01/01/70 00:00      
         Not "forcing"            01/01/70 00:00      
      You missed Erik's point            01/01/70 00:00      
      you are wrong            01/01/70 00:00      
         professional/critical            01/01/70 00:00      
   Seasoned Professional versus green            01/01/70 00:00      
   Is it either Or?            01/01/70 00:00      
   an addendum            01/01/70 00:00      
   Too simplistic!            01/01/70 00:00      

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