Re: CVS and Jar files: Should you import Jar into the Repository? Why or why not

[Greg A. Woods]

[ On Wednesday, March 6, 2002 at 08:57:13 (-0800), Noel Yap wrote: ]
> Subject: Re: CVS and Jar files: Should you import Jar into the Repository? 
> Why or why not
>
> >  If you can't 'diff' and 'merge', why are
> > you using CVS?
> 
> I think the typical answer is, "To have one version
> control interface to work with."

With is about the stupidest, lamest, excuse possible.  It's also an
impossible g.

> Or, more likely, well enough for your needs.  Since
> XML isn't the typical linear text format (ie it's
> hierarchical), diff3 isn't the ideal three-way diff
> tool to use.

C code isn't in a typically linear text format either, but the way most
people lay it out in a typical linear text file lends itself very well
to manipulation with diff/diff3/patch -- so well that research and tons
of practical experience has shown time and time again that even with
concurrent edits (i.e. merges on almost half of all edits) there are
very few worrisome conflicts.

Indeed even English text isn't easily diffable unless you lay it out in
a way that suits diff/diff3/patch.  One such way that's particularly
effective is the way traditionally suggested for troff documents.  Lines
must end at the end of every sentence.  (Obviously with troff you don't
care if paragraphs are nicely wrapped and filled! ;-)

-- 
                                                                Greg A. Woods

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