Re: I had hoped to get more of a response - Re: Managing versions of documents - problems and concerns

Subject: Re: I had hoped to get more of a response - Re: Managing versions of documents - problems and concerns
From: Bruce Byfield <bbyfield -at- axionet -dot- com>
To: "TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com>
Date: Thu, 19 Jun 2003 19:39:32 -0700


Svi Ben Elya wrote:

What I need is information on how you keep track of what changes were made
to documents, when and why. What drawbacks are there to the method used?
What you would like to keep track of if you could find a practical way to do
it? ...

Basically, there are two approaches to version control: the optimistic and the pessimistic. The optimistic, as typified by the default settings for CVS, assumes that conflicts will be few, and can be easily managed. The pessimistic, as typified by the file-locking feature in FrameMaker, assumes that conflicts will be common, and the only way to avoid them is to rigorously control who edits a file.
The advantage of optimism is less management; the disadvantage is that, when conflicts do occur, people are so used to doing as they please that the conflicts tend to be intense.

The advantage of pessimism is that it tends to reassure management that everything is under control. The disadvantage is the amount of work needed to enforce it, especially since there are often ways around the control measures, particularly on Windows.

Neither is perfect. However, as you can probably tell, I tend to favour the optimistic approach - although if there are a large number of people, it's a good idea to limit those who can commit changes (that is, except changes as part of the document).

I won't go over your issues one by one for lack of time. But I will say that any versioning control software, whether it's free like CVS or highly priced like StarTeam will take care of all them, provided that people only access the documents through the versioning control software.

Issue 7: When using a check-out/check-in system and different people work on
different chapters (FM files), how do you check for changes to an entire
book without checking-out all files, thus preventing writers form working on
the files.

The optimistic approach lets as many uses as desire checkout a file. When the files are checked in, whoever manages the versioning system looks them over and compares differences in the versions before committing any changes.

--
Bruce Byfield bbyfield -at- axionet -dot- com 604.421.7177
http://members.axion.net/~bbyfield

"Dipping into dustbins, scrambling for a smear,
Sniffing out a scandal: could the fellow be a queer?
Do not be disheartened by what you cannot find,
Embroider or invent if you're inclined."
- Leon Rosselson, "Song of the Free Press"



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References:
I had hoped to get more of a response - Re: Managing versions of documents - problems and concerns: From: Svi Ben Elya

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