SCCS vs RCS

[Mark Runyan]

>/ mark at ria-emh2.army.mil (Mark D. McKamey IM SA) /  7:36 am  Jun  6, 1989 /
>     I am currently looking into implementing a revision control program
>for numerous source files here locally.  I am somewhat familiar with AT&T's
>SCCS program, but have heard of a program called RCS (Revision Control System)
>by Purdue University.  ...

RCS and SCCS are similiar.  A quick comparason...

 
  SCCS                              RCS                    Meaning

get  s.file.c                   co file.c                 check out file 
get -e s.file.c                 co -l file.c              check out for 
							   modification
delta  s.file.c                 ci file.c                 check in changes
prs s.file.c                    rlog file.c               display history
admin -n -ifile.c  s.file.c     ci file.c                 put file under 
							   control
admin -auser1,user2 s.file.c    rcs -auser1,user2 file.c  create a restricted
							   access list

SCCS advanatages over RCS
  - checks to determine if the contents of the s. file has been corrupted
    and reports an error.
  - can easily inform the user which revision added or deleted a given line.
  - faster check out times if you are dealing with revisions other than
    the "top of the trunk"

RCS advantages
  - Has the ability to create a "relation" between families of files with
    the symbolic names.
  - simplier interface for doing common work
  - faster check in and check out times if you are dealing with revisions
    on the "top of the trunk"

In most all other ways, RCS and SCCS have the same capabilities.  RCS keeps
all the locking information in the ",v" file while SCCS uses a "p." file to
record locks, but the same types of locks are done.  Both RCS and SCCS
can deal with branches and have keywords that can be embedded in a file
to be automatically expanded at check out time to explain which revision
is being worked with (however, in SCCS the "get -e" does not expand the
keywords when the file is checked out for modification).  

To ask which is better is like asking which editor is better: vi or emacs?
The real answer is, you have to decide for yourself.

Oh, and to indicate my bias so you know where I might have fudged :-)
   I'm an RCS (and emacs) user myself.

Mark Runyan