Re: Crazy idea - replace RCS backend with ClearCase...!!!

[Donald Sharp]

On Wed, May 23, 2001 at 01:33:51PM +0100, Julian Gosnell wrote:
> Donald,
> 
> I've explained this in the thread enclosed.
> 
> It's not my choice to sit between products that talk
> CVS and a company that insists on using Clearcase and
> I think what I have proposed is actually not a bad
> idea.
> 
> It means that if my company takes on a new tool OR
> !DEVELOPER! that knows only CVS, it/they can still be
> immediately productive.

But you will loose a lot of the power of Clearcase by this.
Is it ok to loose the flexibility that CC gives you?

> 
> Now, before I look at this any further I really need
> to know whether all interaction with versioned files
> is indeed abstracted out of CVS and into the RCS
> component, as has been implied, (in which case my
> approach would work) or whether CVS also walks around
> the side of RCS and messes with this stuff directly???

I don't think cvs walks around rcs and does stuff.
But then again I'm not a expert on cvs code.  It's
a rats nest.  With about 10 years of development 
inside of it.

donald
> 
> Can anyone give me an answer to this - I would really
> appreciate it.
> 
> Jules
> 
> --- Donald Sharp <address@hidden> wrote: > Why not
> just use clearcase??? 
> > 
> > What do you think you are actually gaining by doing
> > this?
> > 
> > donald
> > On Wed, May 23, 2001 at 01:03:37AM +0000, Julian
> > Gosnell wrote:
> > > OK,
> > > 
> > > That makes my life harder....
> > > 
> > > I reiterate the same question though:
> > > 
> > > Does this library represent the only interface
> > between the data that it
> > > encapsulates and the cvs binary ?
> > > 
> > > I guess I might now be looking at writing a
> > library instead of some
> > > scripts....
> > > 
> > > Thanks again,
> > > 
> > > 
> > > Jules
> > > 
> > > 
> > > Chris Cameron wrote:
> > > 
> > > > Sorry to throw a spanner in the works, but from
> > 1.10, CVS incorporates RCS
> > > > as a set of libraries and doesn't call the
> > external rcs commands.
> > > >
> > > >
> >
> ***************************************************************
> > > > Chris Cameron                       Open
> > Telecommunications Ltd
> > > > Product Manager                           IN
> > Product Management
> > > > address@hidden                          
> > P.O.Box 10-388
> > > >       +64 4 495 8403 (DDI)                      
> >    The Terrace
> > > > fax:  +64 4 495 8419                            
> >     Wellington
> > > > cell: +64 21 650 680                            
> >    New Zealand
> > > > Life, don't talk to me about life ....(Marvin -
> > HHGTTG)
> > > >
> > > > -----Original Message-----
> > > > From: address@hidden
> > [mailto:address@hidden Behalf Of
> > > > Julian Gosnell
> > > > Sent: Wednesday, 23 May 2001 10:43 a.m.
> > > > To: address@hidden
> > > > Subject: Crazy idea - replace RCS backend with
> > ClearCase...!!!
> > > >
> > > > OK - I'm mad, now here me out....
> > > >
> > > > Imagine you work for a large company.
> > > >
> > > > They decide on a 'strategic' SCM - Clearcase -
> > in which every project
> > > > must live.
> > > >
> > > > They then task you with looking at OpenSource
> > development methodologies
> > > > and tools.
> > > >
> > > > Unsurprisingly, all of these use CVS - because
> > it does the job and is
> > > > free - in all senses of the word.
> > > >
> > > > I can look at forking each OpenSource project
> > that I might like to
> > > > deploy within my company (e.g. SourceForge,
> > Tinderbox, Bonsai etc.),
> > > > producing a Clearcase backend, and maybe merging
> > (licences and project
> > > > owners permitting) back my code, in the hope
> > that it will continue to be
> > > > maintained and I won't be left out on a branch,
> > or I can consider
> > > > something wierd :
> > > >
> > > > Tools using CVS for their SCM, ulimately as I
> > understand it (I'm open to
> > > > correction here), end up calling RCS. RCS has a
> > nice small, closed set
> > > > of functionality. I would be surprised if
> > Clearcase could not replicate
> > > > all of this... - So
> > > >
> > > > What is to stop me writing several wrapper
> > scripts (e.g. ci, co, rcs
> > > > etc...) which actually call clearcase to do the
> > file-based version
> > > > control ? This would be one piece of well
> > defined work. Most well
> > > > written CVS backends would continue to work
> > oblivious to the fact that
> > > > the implementation of the file versioning had
> > changed. I would be happy
> > > > since I could painlessly deploy OpenSource tools
> > and work through CVS
> > > > with them and my company would be happy because
> > they would have all
> > > > their source stuck into a repository which has
> > cost them a small
> > > > fortune.
> > > >
> > > > I guess what I'm asking is, "Is the interface
> > between CVS and a project
> > > > in it's Repository completely described by RCS",
> > or does CVS do things
> > > > like go under the covers and parse the contents
> > of RCS files ?
> > > >
> > > > What would the gotchas be ?
> > > >
> > > > Do you still think I'm crazy ?
> > > >
> > > > BTW - I work on two OpenSource projects using
> > CVS in my own time, and
> > > > try to advocate use of and contributing to
> > OpenSource and FreeSoftware
> > > > in my company, so if you fancy flaming me for
> > wanting to rip-off
> > > > everyone's hard work and put it to my own
> > capitalistic ends, please
> > > > think again.
> > > >
> > > > Thanks for your time,
> > > >
> > > > Jules
> > > >
> > > >
> >
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> > >
> >
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