Alternative Free wares to VSS

There are certain free wares available which claims to be the alternatives for Microsoft Visual SourceSafe, but actually do not provide as much functionality as Visual SourceSafe does for Windows. The other provides more functionality for LINUX or UNIX. For example, there are certain free wares like RCS and CVS, which also control the version systems.

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Introduction to RCS

The Revision Control System (RCS) manages multiple revisions of files. RCS automates the storing, retrieval, logging, identification, and merging of revisions. RCS is useful for text that is revised frequently, including source code, programs, documentation, graphics, papers, and form letters.

RCS design was an improvement from its predecessor Source Code Control System (SCCS). The improvements include an easier user interface and improved storage of versions for faster retrieval. RCS improves performance by storing an entire copy of the most recent version and then stores reverse differences (called "deltas").

[http://www.gnu.org/software/rcs/rcs.html]

 Introduction to CVS

CVS is a version control system, an important component of Source Configuration Management (SCM). Using it, you can record the history of sources files, and documents. While CVS stores individual file history in the same format as RCS, it offers the following significant advantages over RCS:

• It can run scripts which you can supply to log CVS operations or enforce site-specific polices.
• Client/server CVS enables developers scattered by geography or slow modems to function as a single team. The version history is stored on a single central server and the client machines have a copy of all the files that the developers are working on. Clients can perform all of the same operations which are available locally.
• If several developers or teams want to each maintain their own version of the files, CVS's vendor branches can import a version from another team (even if they don't use CVS), and then CVS can merge the changes from the vendor branch with the latest files if that is what is desired.
• Unreserved checkouts, allowing more than one developer to work on the same files at the same time.
• CVS servers run on most UNIX variants, and clients for Windows NT/95, OS/2 and VMS are also available. CVS will also operate in what is sometimes called server mode against local repositories on Windows 95/NT.

[http://www.nongnu.org/cvs/ ]