Fine-Granular Version Control & Redundancy Resolution.
Normen Müller, Michael Kohlhase · LWA · 2008
We propose an abstract theory of collaborative content management and version control for collections of semi-structured documents. Our fs-tree model generalizes versioncontrolled file systems and XML files alike, which allows us to specify and implement version control algorithms that seamlessly work across the file/file system border. An added value of this model which incorporates symbolic links and XML inclusions as first-class citizens, is that we can significantly enhance workflow consistency, spaceefficiency, and processing speed on working copies by eliminating link copy redundancy. To evaluate our model and algorithms we have implemented a prototype Subversion client based on the ideas put forward in this paper. The locutor system has been heavily used in day-to-day work and bears out the expected space efficiency and consistency gains. If I had eight hours to chop down a tree, I’d spend six sharping my ax. — Abraham Lincoln