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1           GCMPACK CVS policies  <!doctype html public "-//w3c//dtd html 4.0 transitional//en">
2           ====================  <html>
3    <head>
4  o Introduction     <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1">
5       <meta name="GENERATOR" content="Mozilla/4.75 [en] (X11; U; Linux 2.2.14-5.0 i686) [Netscape]">
6    This note describes policies that apply to the GCMPACK CVS repository     <meta name="Author" content="Chris Hill">
7       <title>MITgcm CVS policy</title>
8  o Why have a policy?  </head>
9    <body text="#000000" bgcolor="#FF99FF" link="#0000EF" vlink="#51188E" alink="#FF0000">
10    CVS itself is a liberal free-for-all product that can be used in a variety  
11    of ways. It is designed to provide a system for storing arbitrary files  <center>
12    in a way that allows the change history of the individual files to be  <h1>
13    tracked. If CVS is used without any other policy the result can be a  MITgcm CVS&nbsp;policy</h1></center>
14    collection of files each of which has complex, multiply branched set of  
15    interelated versions. This sort of CVS repository can be come like a  <h2>
16    library where books are simply stored in a huge heap. Although nothing is   actually lost, the task of finding a coherent collection of material soon  Introduction</h2>
17    becomes impossible.  This note describes policies that apply to the MITGCM CVS repository.
18    <h2>
19    The policies we employ address two areas  Why have a policy?</h2>
20      1. Maintaining an orderly and easily identifiable, coherent set of  CVS itself is a liberal free-for-all product that can be used in a variety
21         evolving "products".  of ways. It is designed to provide a system for storing arbitrary files
22      2. Allowing concurrent, on-going development of products.  in a way that allows the change history of the individual files to be tracked.
23      If CVS is used without any other policy the result can be a collection
24  o Development trees and checkpoint trees  of files each of which has complex, multiply branched set of interelated
25      versions. This sort of CVS repository can be come like a library where
26    A directory within the GCMPACK repository resides under either the  books are simply stored in a huge heap. Although nothing is actually lost,
27    development branch or the checkpoint branch. Files within each branch  the task of finding a coherent collection of material soon becomes impossible.
28    follow different policies.  <p>The policies we employ address two areas
29      <ol>
30  o Development tree policies  <li>
31    Maintaining an orderly and easily identifiable, coherent set of evolving
32    Development trees are intended to be flexible areas where arbitrary files  "products".</li>
33    can be stored with multiple versions, many branches supporting multiple  
34    ongoing streams of development. Development trees have no policies in  <li>
35    place to control complexity. Development trees might be associated with  Allowing concurrent, on-going development of product components.</li>
36    a particular person, a certain project or a particular special piece of  </ol>
37    work. These trees are intended to be useful areas for storing current  
38    work and for archiving partially finished work so that it doesn't get  <h2>
39    mislaid and s that some record of the development history can be easily  Development trees and checkpoint trees</h2>
40    maintained. The only policy that applies to development trees is that  A directory within the MITGCM repository resides under either the development
41    this style of tree is not intended to be used for providing a  branch or the checkpoint branch. Files within each branch follow different
42    "checkpoint" distribution. Tagged configurations of tools built from this  policies.
43    style of tree can be distributed, but because these trees do not have any  <h2>
44    polcies regarding testing of functionality, platform coverage or  Development tree policies</h2>
45    documentation these trees are not allowed to form the basis of  Development trees are intended to be flexible areas where arbitrary files
46    "checkpoint" distrbutions or formal model releases. Other policies can  can be stored with multiple versions, many branches supporting multiple
47    be defined by individuals users of these trees but there are no further  ongoing streams of development. Development trees have no policies in place
48    global policies. The GCMPACK repository development/ subdirectory is  to control complexity. Development trees might be associated with a particular
49    reserved for holding development trees. Development trees also serve as  person, a certain project or a particular special piece of work. These
50    experimental areas for exploring new code management policies.  trees are intended to be useful areas for storing current work and for
51    archiving partially finished work so that it doesn't get mislaid and so
52  o Checkpoint tree policies  that some record of the development history can be easily maintained. The
53    only policy that applies to development trees is that this style of tree
54    Checkpoint trees are intended to provide structured storage areas for  is not intended to be used for providing a "checkpoint" distribution. Tagged
55    holding code that is intended for open distribution and is to be readily  configurations of tools built from this style of tree can be distributed,
56    downloaded. There are policies governing the operation of these trees  but because these trees do not have any polcies regarding testing of functionality,
57    which are designed to ensure that distributed codes are clearly  platform coverage or documentation these trees are not allowed to form
58    identified and meet certain levels of quality.  the basis of "checkpoint" distrbutions or formal "releases". Other policies
59    can be defined by individuals users of these trees but there are no further
60    1. Check-out  global policies. The MITGCM repository development_tree/ subdirectory is
61    reserved for holding development trees. Development trees also serve as
62       Just do it! Two mechanisms are available. cvsanon for read only access  experimental areas for exploring new code management policies.
63       and regular cvs co .... for read/write access.  <h2>
64    Checkpoint tree policies</h2>
65    2. Check-in.  Checkpoint trees are intended to provide structured storage areas for holding
66    code that is intended for open distribution and is to be readily downloaded.
67       The code check in procedure for a "checkpoint" tree is as follows  There are policies governing the operation of these trees which are designed
68       2.1  Check out the latest main branch revision.  to ensure that distributed codes are early identified and meet certain
69       2.2  Merge your changes into that revision.  levels of quality.
70       2.3  Build and validate new code.  <ol>
71       2.4  Check that there have been no further changes to the  <li>
72            repository. Repeat from 2.1 if repository has changed.  Check-out</li>
73       2.5  Get clearance from other developers to check in your changes.  
74       2.6  Check in your changed main branch.  <br>Just do it! Two mechanisms are available. cvsanon for read only access
75       2.8  Build and validate the new changes.  and regular cvs co .... for read/write access.
76       2.9  Tag code as "checkpointNN". Add records to docs/tag-index.  <li>
77       2.10 Build and validate test cases (see testing).  Check-in</li>
78       2.11 Create and install checkpointNN.tar.gz  
79    <br>The code check in procedure for a "checkpoint" tree is as follows
80    3. Testing  <ol>
81    <li>
82    4. Checkpoint tagging  Check out the latest main branch revision.</li>
83    
84    5. Release tagging  <li>
85    Merge your changes into that revision.</li>
86    6. Branches  
87    <li>
88       Branches are to be used for bug-fixes and code patches to releases  Build and validate new code.</li>
89       only. All other changes e.g. totally new features, bug-fixes to  
90       checkpoints are introduced by moving checkpoint levels forward. The  <li>
91       only historical code maintenance that is employed is for fixes and  Check that there have been no further changes to the repository. Repeat
92       patches to formal releases - not checkpoints.  from 2.1 if repository has changed.</li>
93    
94  o These policies are causing me a big problem, what can I do?  <li>
95    Get clearance from other developers to check in your changes.</li>
96    The policies are not enforced by any mechanism other than mutual  
97    agreement! If you think the policies are not appropriate then let us know  <li>
98    and we can discuss changing them. However, if you simply ignore the  Check in your changed main branch.</li>
99    policies regarding the checkpoint_release trees then your code may be  
100    removed and/or your access revoked.  <li>
101    Build and validate the new changes.</li>
102  o What about bitkeeper  
103    <li>
104    We are looking at bitkeeper (www.bitkeeper.com). It looks cool, but  Tag code as "checkpointNN". Add records to docs/tag-index.</li>
105    policies are still important. Any experience, suggestions let us know.  
106    Watch this space!  <li>
107    Build and validate test cases (see testing).</li>
108  Questions, comments e-mail: gcmpack.code.czars@mitgcm.org  
109    <li>
110    Create and install checkpointNN.tar.gz</li>
111    </ol>
112    
113    <li>
114    Testing</li>
115    
116    <br>Things in a checkpoint tree require a test case that can be used to
117    validate the component.
118    <li>
119    Checkpoint tagging</li>
120    
121    <br>No code should be left in limbo. Checking in code and then leaving
122    it in the repository untagged is bad. When you check in code you are creating
123    a new checkpoint. That means you don't check in some code which you "know"
124    works 100% and then go away for two weeks. When you start checking in code
125    you make sure you have time to do the process end-to-end as described in
126    section 2.
127    <li>
128    Release tagging</li>
129    
130    <br>Releases are only based on checkpoint tree code. Maintenance fixes
131    to releases are also maintained within the checkpoint tree. Files within
132    a release must have accompanying documentation. The form of this documentation
133    depends on the file type.
134    <li>
135    Branches</li>
136    
137    <br>Branches are to be used for bug-fixes and code patches to releases
138    only. All other changes e.g. totally new features, bug-fixes to checkpoints
139    are introduced by moving checkpoint levels forward. The only historical
140    code maintenance that is employed is for fixes and patches to formal releases
141    - not checkpoints.</ol>
142    
143    <h2>
144    These policies are causing me a big problem, what can I do?</h2>
145    The policies are not enforced by any mechanism other than mutual agreement!
146    If you think the policies are not appropriate then let us know and we can
147    discuss changing them. However, if you simply ignore the policies regarding
148    the checkpoint_release trees then your code may be removed and/or your
149    access revoked.
150    <h2>
151    What about bitkeeper</h2>
152    We are looking at bitkeeper (www.bitkeeper.com). It looks cool, but policies
153    are still important. Any experience, suggestions let us know. Watch this
154    space!
155    <p>Questions, comments e-mail: code.czars@mitgcm.org
156    <br>
157    <hr WIDTH="100%">
158    <table CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 WIDTH="100%" NOSAVE >
159    <tr NOSAVE>
160    <td><font size=-1>Last modified on $Date$</font></td>
161    
162    <td>
163    <div align=right><font size=-1>CVS:  /u/gcmpack/mitgcm.org/../cvspolicy.html,v
164    $Revision$</font></div>
165    </td>
166    </tr>
167    </table>
168    
169    </body>
170    </html>

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