Kevin Dolan queries about:

>tools that will help with version control, etc., across platforms
>(possible including Unix).  If you've been through the same problem or
>have any suggestions on how to configure ..

One of the most widely use tools is freeware from the Free Software
Foundation (the GNU project) called the Concurrent Version System (CVS).
I kinda snuck this into my GNU distribution for HPWorld this year and
don't know how widely known that fact has become, so I'll "announce" it
again in answer to this question.

CVS runs on all kinds of platforms, including MPE, Unix and Windows NT.
While it isn't strictly a configuration management system, it provides
you with the core functionality whereby you can create a CM system.

CVS relies on a newer version of RCS than the one provided on MPE under
POSIX and I've also included that in this release. There is a gotcha,
though ... you need to take care that the correct RCS is invoked by CVS
or things'll break. That can be done simply by adding a variable into
your .profile that does "export RCSBIN=/usr/local/bin".

Further, CVS requires the extended filename patch MPEJXQ2 and companion
patch PX2JXQ2. It is available on the third edition of the FREEWARE tape
available at HPWorld and through Interex. Depending on Jeff's schedule,
it should also appear on Jazz soon.

One note to add: there is a bug in this release when working with
"vendor branches" that I'm currently working on. I may have a resolution
and we'll know later today.

Regards,


M.