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Read even if you don't know what I mean
Having discovered that I have all the parts neccessary to build a second computer (excepting a monitor, oh well), I realised that I could very much use it as a server. Now, what I would love to do is benefit the EV/O/N Dev community, and help provide an organisation tool for all the teams out there.
In case you don't know what a CVS is, I'll explain.
I can't remember what it stands for, but I know the idea behind it. A CVS server, allows a central host for (as it is usually used) programming code, so developers working off several computer can download what they need. Beyond this, it records every single change made to every single file, when it was made, and by who, so for example, if you and another team member were both working on the same file, but on different resources, and you uploaded the file to the CVS. Then of course, your other team member would have the old copy. However, when he uploaded the updated old file (which his new changes), the CVS would track the changes made by both people and merge them into one file.
Also, the CVS stores backups of the old files, so if someone accidentally makes a change and then uploads it, all is not lost. Permissions can be controlled by whoever runs the server (myself), so each team could have it's own directory of files. Further to this, each teammember could have seperate permissions. I.e. if the team leader wanted each member of the team to only have access to certain files, this could be controlled (Working from my memory this is true, I'm not an expert on CVS).
This is of course all depending on if my parents will let me have a computer running 24/7, which of course may not always be possible. I'm currently on a 2Mbit connection, so my upload is only around 256kbps, which is about 32KB/s, (1.9 MB a min) though I should be upgrading to 8mbit the second it's available in my area. I have the time and the dedication to run this, as long as my computer works, which is should, I'm in the process of copying all the needed files to it now. It has a 20GB hard drive, and it won't have much else than the OS on it, so I'd say there'd be at least 10GB free for
Oh, and finally, there is a Mac CVS client out there, I'll find out what it is when I get home, that allows the upload of resource forks, because CVS is not normally resource fork compatible, but this client converts it into a CVS-capable format.
So, is there any interest in this? If there is, and I can get the computer to run and work, I'll be posting a follow-up in a few days with contact details.
This would make having a team useful for once... By all means, set this up. It'd be awesome. I'd finally be able to cooperate with someone without having trouble incorporating changes into a large plug. Now, just to find a dev who'snot caught up in other work...
I love you, though in the most heterosexual way possible, of course.
Could I recommend that you a quick look at Subversion? It's CVS done right... CVS is very old, no longer updated and has some major security issues and bugs that can never be corrected with the amount of cruft that's in the codebase.
I should know, we're studying CVS and Subversion at University right now.
best always,
Dave
ps. The enormous size of most EVN files may preclude the use of CVS. Also, on non-textbased files, CVS will not be able to merge and sync changes. This is a bit of a problem with EV, which uses Macintosh resource forks.
pipeline, on Jul 16 2005, 12:06 AM, said:
ps. The enormous size of most EVN files may preclude the use of CVS. Also, on non-textbased files, CVS will not be able to merge and sync changes. This is a bit of a problem with EV, which uses Macintosh resource forks. View Post
Oh, I'll definately take a look. I've been trying to set up a CVS server all night, and failed miserably mainly due to it's lack of a GUI. Fun. Thanks for the tip
That is indeed true for none text-based files, but I have tested it in the past, and with MacCVSClient, itconverts the resource forks in such a way that it is possible to sync and merge them. However, using ConTEXT and ResStore also works very well, and also shows what has been changed more effectively.
Cheers, Sean
I really need to know if people are interested in this, it looks like i'm going to have to expend a lot of energy setting this up, which isn't really something i want to do if people aren't going to use it.
Come on people, this would be awesome!
Welll... I say expend a llot of energy, as it stands I actually managed to figure out what i was trying to do, and it's working very well now. The only energy I have to expend is lugging my sole CRT monitor up and down stairs. which isn't much fun, but I'll get the RDC working soon enough.
Right. Well, I believe I've gotten to the stage where I need to get people to test it. After wrestling with my router I believe it will now accept incoming connections to the server. So yeah, if you can test, email me. Address should be on my contact card. What i need from you is a username, and password, then I'll provide you with all the info needed to help me test.
There are several cons at present: *Depending on size of plugin files, things'll be slow. I will probably ask the teams to split their plugs up into resource groupings (which will also be more efficient) *Server will not be 24/7, unfortunately, wherever I place the server in my house, it makes noise. Which is pesky. It's in fact too noisy for my mum to allow it anywhere downstairs for extended periods of time, and I don't have a wireless card for it yet. When I do, it'll be in my room, but I won't be able to sleep with it on. I might check out quieter cooling systems for it if enough people start using it. (The "Water cooling fund" might be started...)
Ok. So email me people.
Look into some 120mm SilenX fans for the case. They move a lot of air at really quiet levels. Also, if you can afford it, look into a Fan Controller of some description so you can monitor the temperatures of the thing and I think some of them can spin the fans slower if the case is cooler. That means that if your house is cooler at night and not many people are using it during the night, chances are it'll be quieter. In theory, anyway.