Webware Sandbox Read Me

Contents

Project: http://webware-sandbox.sourceforge.net/

The Sandbox is a great place for anyone in the Webware community to share fledgling code. Join today and upload your modules! The Webware Sandbox is the "code wiki" of Webware.

Full Description

The Webware Sandbox provides a place where just about anyone can get CVS write access and upload their their code into a directory with their name. The Sandbox makes it easy for us to share code, get feedback, etc., without the delays in considering what should go into Webware-proper and what shouldn't.

Another benefit is that "cvs update" will get everyone's fixes and refinements, and is much more convenient than rummaging through emails and attachments.

Please upload your "shareables" here! Don't be shy if they're not finished, perfect or documented. The Sandbox is provided for such contributions.

You may also find mature, quality products in the Sandbox for use in your projects.

How To Use The Sandbox - Technical

To read the Sandbox, check out a copy of the source code with cvs:

$ cvs -d:pserver:anonymous@cvs.sourceforge.net:/cvsroot/webware-sandbox login
$ cvs -z3 -d:pserver:anonymous@cvs.sourceforge.net:/cvsroot/webware-sandbox co Sandbox

You can also browse the cvs repository online

To create cvs tags and branches or upload your code, please read further.

How To Use The Sandbox - Attitude

The glass is half full. That is to say, if someone uploads a buggy module with no docs or test cases, they still did a good thing by providing some sample code. Feel free to give authors feedback, but be polite and constructive. Also, don't expect that contributors are under any obligation to fix bugs, document work, respond to requests, etc. Those are the natural expectations of serious projects like Webware, just because someone uploaded a module doesn't mean they're commited maintaining it.

All of these kinds of code are welcome in the sandbox:

Abandoned modules are fine too, if you think the module has some interesting or novel ideas. If you don't plan on maintaining or developing the module, you should indicate this in the docstring so others don't expect too much from the module's future.

Don't be shy about contributing. You will have your own sandbox within the Sandbox to play in (read further for details).

Releases

There are NO downloadable file releases of the Webware Sandbox (such as tarballs). Traditional releases would defeat the purpose of the Sandbox. However, feel free to tag all or any part of the Sandbox cvs as you desire:

$ cvs tag echuck-works-for-me-20030228a

A recommended format for your tag name is USERNAME-COMMENT-DATE.

You may wish to suffix with a, b, c, ... to account for having to tag more than once in a day.

Now that you have a tag, you essentially have your own release. You can access it by passing -r TAGNAME to the cvs update command.

This approach to accessing software can even be preferable from various perspectives. Upgrading the workspaces is generally quicker and lighter than downloading another tarball whose contents are probably 80% the same as your current. Also, you can revert to earlier versions of the source right in place (cvs upd -r <previous-tag>). Also, you can easily review your local modifications with cvs dif | less and such mods are generally easier kept.

Don't forget to include -dP in your cvs update or to configure your .cvsrc file to do so for you.

If you need more information about cvs tags, peruse cvs documentation such as http://cvsbook.red-bean.com/ and http://www.cvshome.org/.

How To Get CVS Write Access

Send your request to webware-devel@lists.sourceforge.net. Be sure to include your real name and your SourceForge username. This request isn't meant as a barrier to entry, we won't reject you or require that you prove yourself, it's just a matter of administrations. But we do have some standards for using the repository...

Requirements When Using CVS

These requirements are lighter and simpler than most projects. We're trying to encourage the free flow of Webware-related code.

You might also post your feedback and suggestion on webware-devel@lists.sf.net.

Notifications

Subscribe to webware-sandbox-checkins@lists.sf.net to receive notifications of any changes to the CVS repository, if you are curious about what other people are doing. Subscribe at http://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/webware-sandbox-checkins