Accessing Alfresco codebase from SVN...

[bruce]

Hi.

I'm curious, why does Alfresco use SVN when allowing users to access the lastest code? Is Alfresco based on SVN? I'm curious as to why Alfresco doesn't store it's code within Alfresco?

Am I missing something?

Thanks

-Bruce
bedouglas@earthlink.net

[davidc]

Simple - we don't yet have full source code control features in Alfresco.  To get going, we first concentrated on providing document management (DM) capabilities similar to MS Sharepoint and Documentum.

Now, we're adding WCM which includes SVN like capabilities.  When that's ready, perhaps we could provide our source code in Alfresco.  But then again, most developers are familiar with SVN or CVS.

[bruce]

ok…

do you have an idea of what the functions will be that you're going to be implementing? do you also have a general timeframe?

check in
check out
versioning
project based folders
-sub folders
-branching for a given release (major/minor) for a given project
access control
-group/user
ability to use API for command line build process
some kind of workfolw process
-ability to add to development area
-ability to notify others based on completion of events/etc…

Thanks

-Bruce
bedouglas@earthlink.net

[tanoto]

Are the WCM codes already made available to the public?  If so, can you please point me to where I can download them.  I would love the opportunity to review them. 

Thanks.

Tanoto

[rdanner]

Hi.

I'm curious, why does Alfresco use SVN when allowing users to access the lastest code? Is Alfresco based on SVN? I'm curious as to why Alfresco doesn't store it's code within Alfresco?

Am I missing something?

Thanks

-Bruce
bedouglas@earthlink.net

when it comes to source, like david said developers are going to want to use what they have tools for.  SVN and CVS have all kinds of tools available to them including integrations with ide(s) like eclipse.  If developers cant use those tools its a barrier to entry for them.  Alfresco needs to have low barrier to entry for developers

That being said.  There are a number of use cases I can think of where the source control like functionality would be great in alfresco. And if I was going to make a source control system Id think strongly about building on top of something like alfresco (java is a real asset here).

back to the use cases. We have some assets for the website which are configuration (like targeter configuration) and CSS that are not really content, they are in the grey area.  They are not code and they are not content.

BUT they belong to business user roles like editors, designers, etc (Not coders). In this case I want them in alfresco not something like my source control.  I have to worry about SLA(s) for my systems and attatching a business user population to my source control drastically changes my SLA for my source control.  The CMS on the other hand already has the appropriate SLA. and one tool is better then 10.  Ofcourse that logic can be taken to the wrong extreme.

[rdanner]

Hi.

I'm curious, why does Alfresco use SVN when allowing users to access the lastest code? Is Alfresco based on SVN? I'm curious as to why Alfresco doesn't store it's code within Alfresco?

Am I missing something?

Thanks

-Bruce
bedouglas@earthlink.net

when it comes to source, like david said developers are going to want to use what they have tools for.  SVN and CVS have all kinds of tools available to them including integrations with ide(s) like eclipse.  If developers cant use those tools its a barrier to entry for them.  Alfresco needs to have low barrier to entry for developers

That being said.  There are a number of use cases I can think of where the source control like functionality would be great in alfresco. And if I was going to make a source control system Id think strongly about building on top of something like alfresco (java is a real asset here).

back to the use cases. We have some assets for the website which are configuration (like targeter configuration) and CSS that are not really content, they are in the grey area.  They are not code and they are not content.

BUT they belong to business user roles like editors, designers, etc (Not coders). In this case I want them in alfresco not something like my source control.  I have to worry about SLA(s) for my systems and attatching a business user population to my source control drastically changes my SLA for my source control.  The CMS on the other hand already has the appropriate SLA. and one tool is better then 10.  Ofcourse that logic can be taken to the wrong extreme.

At one time I took a quick look at the SVN architecture and it looked like there was enough pluggability to stuff alfresco under the hood.  I thought neat, I could use tools like tortoise with alfresco.  Once I actually looked in to it… not the case (not easily anyway.)

Which reminds me..

David,

One of the things that SVN and CVS do to allow WOL (Work offline) is to drop those obnoxious folders along with the source. I am sure alfresco is interested in WOL.  what do plan to do with the metadata needed to allow for WOL?