Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!lll-winken!csd4.milw.wisc.edu!mailrus!caen.engin.umich.edu!conliffe
From: conliffe@caen.engin.umich.edu (Darryl C. Conliffe)
Newsgroups: comp.lang.lisp
Subject: Re: Unix Lisp Environments (why the slow evolution)
Summary: DSEE has the features you desire
Message-ID: <433db8c8.b11a@falcon.engin.umich.edu>
Date: 15 May 89 04:00:00 GMT
References: <8905111806.AA05209@snooze> <260@shrike.AUSTIN.LOCKHEED.COM>
Organization: U of M Engineering, Ann Arbor, Mich.
Lines: 26

In article <260@shrike.AUSTIN.LOCKHEED.COM>, aihaug@AUSTIN.LOCKHEED.COM (Daniel A Haug) writes:
> I must admit that this is much further advanced than I had previously
> expected.  I, too, am seeking more information.  To that end, what
> about a maintenance utility equivalent to the System Construction Tool
> on the Symbolics?  This includes tracking system-level and file-level
> versions, and support for an extensive Patch facility?  I've already
> heard Apollo talking about their `make'-equivalent system.  This is
> no good if it can't retain and track specific file versions, and
> system versions.  Along this line would be distribution/restoration
> of systems (I'm talking about something more than `tar' -- the ability
> to generate a system distribution for a specific version, with all the
> patches, sources, etc., in a single command).  I've also seen a few
> public domain defsystem packages.  But, what I've seen so far doesn't
> even come close to what we need.

I currently use DSEE to manage separate source files
used in building a system.  Each source file can be
tagged with a user defined name to specify the
"version" of the build.  Releases can be reconstructed
-  even those requiring the use of previous compilers
to function correctly.  Objects (files) can also be
monitored, so that changes alert others who need
to be advised of potential impacts (i.e. upon documentation)
wrought by the changes.  Must importantly, a full
history of
who and what changes is maintained.