What's implicit in comparing LMU to CMM? The /main/LATEST assumption...

The subversion book states the advantages of the Copy-Modify-Merge versioning model compared to the Lock-Modify-Unlock one.

But is this comparison fair?

I pretend that it is not, and only discloses the implicit but telling assumption that one works in /main/LATEST mode!

Indeed, the problems (incorrectly) assigned to the LMU model vanish as soon as one one works in developer's branches.

The bottom line of the comparison refers to user communication. I agree wholeheartedly, but only to regret that traditional VC (the model of subversion) doesn't offer much support for this communication, whereas this ought to be the main focus of an ambitious SCM.

What is essential in the locking event is not the serialization, but the public recording (on the server side) of information concerning one's own activity.

-- MarcGirod - 12 Nov 2006