[boost] Steps before moving to Subversion

From: Beman Dawes (bdawes_at_[hidden])
Date: 2005-04-21 15:32:36

Dave Abrahams, Doug Gregor, Thomas Witt and I talked about moving to 
Subversion when we got together at the C++ committee meeting last week.

(I've been using Subversion on my machine for about a month, and quickly 
became convinced it is superior to CVS.)

Points discussed included the importance of a slow, step-by-step approach, 
because of the importance to Boost and to individual developers, and the 
need to build familiarity before diving in head first.

Doug Gregor will lead the effort, and will be the contact at IU when issues 
arise. Hopefully Troy Straszheim can help, given that he has already setup 
a Boost SVN repository.

Some of the possible tasks to be accomplished before a final conversion:

* Research any remaining questions from Boosters regarding Subversion.

* Decide on the repository directory structure - follow Troy's lead or 
maybe something else? (One of the advantages of Subversion is that the 
repository directory structure isn't hard-wired, but that means we have to 
decide which approach is best.)

* Set up a trial repository, like the one Troy set up, but on the actual 
machine at IU.

* Set up write authorization. This might be a good time to prune the 
write-access list to those still active.

* Load test. (Maybe set a time, and have a bunch of Boosters hit the 
repository at the same time?)

* Make final go/no-go decision. This probably involves both discussion on 
the list and polling the moderators (as the closest thing we have to a 
steering committee.)

* Put change notifications in place.

* Verify that backup (tarball or whatever) procedures are in place and 
functioning.

* Update Boost documentation which refers to the source repository.

* Schedule and execute the actual changeover.

Comments?

--Beman

PS: The book "Version Control with Subversion" by Collins-Sussman, 
Fitzpatrick, and Pilato, is worthwhile, either in hard copy (O'Reilly) or 
download from http://svnbook.red-bean.com/