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[D513]Document Version Control Software

by Sam Miller, Sam

You just may have heard of document version control software at one time or another. in fact, you may be one of the many people who are searching for the perfect document version control software to use for whatever purpose. There are actually a lot of options that you can try on the web, if you want to get hold of such a software. However, before you do make your choice of software to use, it would be better to understand the underlying concept of the software beforehand. This would make the selection process a whole lot easier and sensible as well.

The basic premise of version control, which can also be termed revision control or source control, lies in the inevitability of human error. We all make mistakes, right? In just about anything we do, we cannot help but make mistakes at times. The same goes for any computer user. For instance, you are composing an article using the word processor commonly known as Microsoft Word. You make a mistake that alters the whole of your composition, and you need to revert to the previous version, so that the mistakes can be corrected. With version control, this then becomes possible. This is the basic premise.

Let us go into the technical side of the concept. Each document change that you make is actually assigned what is known as a revision number. The first revision can then be assigned revision code number “1”. Each succeeding revision can then be assigned corresponding revision code numbers. The next revision would then be assigned revision code number “2”, and so on and so forth. Furthermore, the person making such revisions would also be recorded by the software itself.

Version control features are actually incorporated into many different software applications. These include, of course, MS Word documents, spreadsheets, and the like. With the help of this software, you can then return to the state of a previous revision, so that you can apply the necessary corrections to the file concerned.

Version control software is very a significant tool used by software developers and computer software engineers. For computer software engineers, the process of keeping track of all changes would be relatively easier. What's more, the implementation of such changes would be more controlled, especially where source codes are concerned. Software developers, on the other hand, make use of document version control software to regulate documentation, the creation of source codes, and the configuration of files. In fact, this tool is especially helpful for software developers, especially when they are determining the location of bugs in certain programs they are developing. With document version control software, software developers can return to previous versions of the programs they are developing, especially when they come across bugs and glitches in these programs.

Now that you know just what document version control software is all about, you can then move on to choosing which particular software to get. The best thing to do here is to find the software that meets whatever needs your company may have. This way, you are sure to get maximum benefits from your own version control software.

Version control, or revision control, or source control is a feature that allows computer users to keep track of their files over time. This is important so that a user can get back to his previous working version in case he messes up. In more technical terms, revision control is the management of revisions done on the same information unit. This is frequently used by engineering and software development companies to keep track of the ongoing development of their digital documents. Document changes are identified through a ?revision number? or ?revision level? which is an increment in the associated number or letter code of a document. Moreover, the name of the person who is responsible for a revision is also reflected in the revision control code. For example, a digital document is assigned a revision code number ?1.? When changes are made to this document, its revision code number is incremented to ?2?. Revision control features are integrated into various software types like spreadsheets, word processors like MSWord and Koffice and various content management systems. With this feature, a computer user can revert or go back to a previous revision or page in order to correct any mistake committed.

Revision control is a crucial tool especially for computer software engineers and software developers. It allows the former to keep track and control changes made on source codes. Developers of software applications also use it to maintain documentation, source codes and configuration files. Most developers create multiple copies of different program versions while working on updates and software issues like bugs. These bugs are present only in some versions so when locating them, all versions of the software would have to be run. The practice of retaining multiple copies of programs is often done in large software companies. However, this practice is heavily criticized for its inefficiency.

A centralized model is traditionally used by software developers wherein all revision control functions are made on a shared server. In this set-up, two developers who make changes on the same file at the same time may end up overwriting the work of the other. In order to prevent this occurrence, file locking is implemented. Files are locked to allow only one user to access it in any given time. Other version control systems have a version merging capability which allows multiple developers to work at the same time on the same file.

When choosing which among different document version control software to purchase, make sure to select one that can provide the needed version control benefits. This software is beneficial even for those who are not developing software applications as it can be used to keep backup files especially concerning ongoing tasks or projects. What is important is that the concept, lingo and philosophy of version control should be clearly understood so that the most appropriate software is chosen.

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