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Subject:Re: Version control software - a second questions From:"Susan W. Gallagher" <sgallagher -at- EXPERSOFT -dot- COM> Date:Tue, 25 Mar 1997 11:08:13 -0800
At 09:15 AM 3/25/97 -0600, John Gough wrote:
>If anyone out there is using v-c and happy, could you post why
>it makes your life better and what software you are using?
It avoids the problem of two people working on the same file.
It retains a limited number of multiple versions, which has the
multiple benefits of allowing you to back out of experimental
changes and changes that are documented but won't be included
in the software. It also prevents against loss due to damaged
files.
It encourages a routine of regular backups and makes them
painless. Writers check files in to the archives on a network
drive; sysadm backs up the network drive on a regular basis.
Tech support and system architects have access to the vc system,
so they have the most recent version of a document at their
fingertips *without* having to bug the writer for it during
crunch times.
The associated bug tracking and threaded conversations make it
easy for tech support/system architects to leave bug reports
or comments/suggestions for changes. Comments you entered at
the end of the development cycle are still there, easy to find,
at your fingertips, when you start the new development cycle.
It allows us to keep track of release versions easily. And yes,
it does allow you to store associated graphics, etc., with the
same label so you *can* reconstruct the docs at a certain date.
All archived files are immediately available to everyone on the
team, without the need to make personal drives shared over the
network. Any writer starting work on a project is assured of
having all the necessary files available.
You don't have to come up with some convoluted directory structure
or naming convention to store multiple versions. Additionally, you
don't have to remember to rename or copy/move documents because the
software does it for you.
When you express the need for version control and use it, engineering
management's respect for your ability goes up just a teensy bit.
Susan W. Gallagher Manager, Technical Publications
sgallagher -at- expersoft -dot- com Expersoft Corporation, San Diego CA http://www.expersoft.com
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