We've moved the sources into a CVS (Concurrent Version System) repository.
The directories that were in /usr/local/fsl/src have been used to start a CVS repository. While things were quiet at FMRIB we cleaned up the directories by ensuring all files were checked in to RCS and then used the RCS files to create new CVS projects. All directories were first fixed so that the source files were under RCS control.
Check out a local copy of your sources.
Where RCS used a "central copy has files locked by individuals" CVS uses a "local copy is synchronised from the repository" approach. Read the FSL Developers Guide for more info on using CVS.
The new scheme is intended to improve and enrich your development experience in so many ways it's hard to know where to begin.
Coding: It'll be safer because you'll be able to develop your projects without fear of feature changes leaking into the installed version.
Maintainance: When someone reports a bug in version x.y you'll be able to get a copy of that revision from the repository for bug fixing. The bug fix can be applied to a branch of the repository so that your main development can continue free of backwards compatability issues. Tools for merging branch changes back into your main development ease the process of selecting those bug fixes that are still relevant to your main development.
Source distribution and build management: CVS will help us prepare distributions by providing repository tags and project aliases, i.e., subsets of the repository with a particular tag can be checked out.