Re: [Plplot-devel] cvs to svn conversion

[Alan W. I. <ir...@be...>]

I am now a subversion convert.

This happened because I recently started using subversion on a regular basis
as part of the libLasi project (sf.net/projects/lasi), and I have liked it
so much in comparison to CVS that I have changed my mind about waiting until
later and now support Werner's idea that we switch the PLplot CVS repository
at SourceForge to subversion right after the next development release. I
have also canvassed Maurice, Geoffrey, and Andrew Ross about this time scale
for the conversion, and they are all willing to go along with it.

Now we have yet to make the decision about the timing of the next
development release, 5.7.3, but I assume it will be something like 1-2
months from now.  IMPORTANT. Is that sort of time scale for when the
conversion occurs OK with everybody?

That should give me enough time to gain some experience with converting some
other smaller SF projects (such as FreeEOS, LoLL, and the Linux Brochure
Project) to subversion, and I will also need some time to do some tests of
how well the script that converts from a cvs repository to a subversion one
can preserve the history.  The timing of right after 5.7.3 gives a further
development release cycle (1-2 months) to change over and test some of our
release-related scripts that currently directly invoke cvs to get access
to our files at SourceForge.

Those (like me two weeks ago) who have used CVS exclusively before should
find subversion comfortable to use.  The main issue is to remember to type
"svn" rather than "cvs" on the command line since you will find all the
usual cvs subcommands such as checkout, update, commit, diff log, and status
are available for subversion as well as the extremely useful svn move
subcommand. You can find out more using the svn help command, and there is
also a downloadable book (in several versions) about subversion available at
http://svnbook.red-bean.com/.

In preparation for the conversion of PLplot to subversion right after 5.7.3
is released, I suggest you try the svn help command and especially check out
"Appendix A. Subversion for CVS Users" of the book to help you understand
the small but important differences between subversion and cvs. The book
also has a quick start section which helps you establish a local subversion
repository to play with to get you used to subversion.

Alan
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Alan W. Irwin

Astronomical research affiliation with Department of Physics and Astronomy,
University of Victoria (astrowww.phys.uvic.ca).

Programming affiliations with the FreeEOS equation-of-state implementation
for stellar interiors (freeeos.sf.net); PLplot scientific plotting software
package (plplot.org); the Yorick front-end to PLplot (yplot.sf.net); the
Loads of Linux Links project (loll.sf.net); and the Linux Brochure Project
(lbproject.sf.net).
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Linux-powered Science
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