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<article>
  <artheader>
    <title>New Committer Guide</title>

    <authorgroup>
      <author>
	<surname>The FreeBSD Documentation Project</surname>
      </author>
    </authorgroup>

    <pubdate>September 1999</pubdate>

    <copyright>
      <year>1999</year>
      <holder>The FreeBSD Documentation Project</holder>
    </copyright>

    <abstract>
      <para>Welcome, new committer, to the FreeBSD development
	team!</para>

      <para>The following docs are provided to orient you on doing CVS
	operations on the FreeBSD central repository machine.  A basic
	familiarity with CVS is already assumed, although CVS
	reference information, tutorials, and FAQs can also be found
	at: <ulink url="http://www.cyclic.com/cyclic-pages/books.html">http://www.cyclic.com/cyclic-pages/books.html</ulink></para>

      <para>Good luck, and welcome aboard!</para>
    </abstract>
  </artheader>

  <sect1 id="admin">
    <title>Administrative Details</title>

    <informaltable frame="none" orient="port">
      <tgroup cols="2">
	<tbody>
	  <row>
	    <entry><emphasis>Main Repository Host</emphasis></entry>
	    <entry><hostid>freefall.FreeBSD.org</hostid></entry>
	  </row>
	  
	  <row>
	    <entry>
	      <emphasis>International Crypto Repository Host</emphasis>
	    </entry>
	    <entry><hostid>internat.FreeBSD.org</hostid></entry>
	  </row>

	  <row>
	    <entry><emphasis>Login Methods</emphasis></entry>
	    <entry>&man.ssh.1;</entry>
	  </row>
	  
	  <row>	  
	    <entry><emphasis>Main CVSROOT</emphasis></entry>
	    <entry>/home/ncvs</entry>
	  </row>
	  
	  <row>
	    <entry><emphasis>International Crypto CVSROOT</emphasis></entry>
	    <entry>/home/cvs.crypt</entry>
	  </row>

	  <row>
	    <entry><emphasis>Main CVS Repository Meisters</emphasis></entry>
	    <entry>&a.jdp; and &a.peter; as well as &a.asami; for
	      <filename>ports/</filename></entry>
	  </row>
	  
	  <row>
	    <entry>
	      <emphasis>International Crypto CVS Repository Meister</emphasis>
	    </entry>
	    <entry>&a.markm;</entry>
	  </row>

	  <row>	  
	    <entry><emphasis>Mailing List</emphasis></entry>
	    <entry><email>cvs-committers@FreeBSD.org</email>
	      [which you are now on]</entry>
	  </row>
	  
	  <row>	  
	    <entry><emphasis>Mentor Name</emphasis></entry>
	    <entry>&a.jkh;</entry>
	  </row>
	  
	  <row>	  
	    <entry><emphasis>Noteworthy CVS Tags</emphasis></entry>
	    <entry>RELENG_3 (3.x-STABLE), HEAD (-CURRENT)</entry>
	  </row>
	</tbody>
      </tgroup>
    </informaltable>
    
    <para>It is required that you use &man.ssh.1; or &man.telnet.1;
      and Kerberos 5 to connect to the repository hosts.  These are
      generally more secure than plain &man.telnet.1; or
      &man.rlogin.1; since credential negotiation will always be
      encrypted.  All traffic is encrypted by default with &man.ssh.1;.
      With utilities like &man.ssh-agent.1; and &man.scp.1; also
      available, &man.ssh.1; is also far more convenient.  If you do
      not know anything about &man.ssh.1, please see
      <xref linkend="ssh.guide">.</para>
  </sect1>

  <sect1 id="cvs.operations">
    <title>CVS Operations</title>

    <para>CVS operations are usually done by logging into
      <hostid>freefall</hostid>, making sure the
      <envar>CVSROOT</envar> environment variable is set to
      <filename>/home/ncvs</filename>, and then doing the appropriate
      check-out/check-in operations.  If you wish to add
      something which is wholly new (like new ports, contrib-ified
      sources, etc), a script called <quote>easy-import</quote> is
      also provided for making the process easier.  It automatically
      adds the new module entry, does the appropriate thing with
      <command>cvs import</command>, etc. &ndash; just run it without
      arguments and it will prompt you for everything it needs to
      know.</para>

    <para>If you are familiar with remote CVS and consider yourself
      pretty studly with CVS in general, you can also do CVS
      operations directly from your own machine and local working
      sources. Just remember to set <envar>CVS_RSH</envar> to
      <wordasword>ssh</wordasword> so that you are using a relatively
      secure and reliable transport.  If you have no idea what any of
      the above even means, on the other hand, then please stick with
      logging into <hostid>freefall</hostid> and applying your diffs
      with &man.patch.1;.</para>

    <para>If you need to use CVS <command>add</command> and
      <command>delete</command> operations in a manner that is
      effectively a <quote>mv</quote> operation, then a repository
      copy is in order rather than your CVS <command>add</command> and
      <command>delete</command>.  In a repository copy, a <link
      linkend="conventions">CVS Meister</link> will copy the file(s)
      to their new name and/or location and let you know when it is
      done.  The purpose of a repository copy is to preserve file
      change history, or logs.  We in the FreeBSD Project greatly
      value the change history CVS gives to the project.</para>
  </sect1>

  <sect1 id="conventions">
    <title>Conventions and Traditions</title>

    <para>The CVS Repository Meisters (Peter Wemm and John Polstra)
      are the <quote>owners</quote> of the CVS repository and
      responsible for any and <emphasis>all</emphasis> direct
      modification of it for the purposes of cleanup or fixing some
      grievous abuse of CVS by a committer.  No one else should
      attempt to touch the repository directly.  Should you cause some
      repository accident, say a bad cvs import or tag operation, do
      <emphasis role="bold">not</emphasis> attempt to fix it yourself!
      Mail or call John or Peter immediately and report the problem to
      one of them instead.  The only ones allowed to directly fiddle
      the repository bits are the repomeisters.  Satoshi Asami is also a
      repomeister for the <filename>ports/</filename> portion of the
      tree. Mark Murray is the repomeister for the International
      Crypto Repository in South Africa.</para>

    <para>If you are a new committer, your very first commit should be
      to add yourself to the developer's section (28.2) of the
      Handbook.  Figuring out how to check the handbook out and add an
      entry for yourself is relatively easy but still remains a good
      first test of your CVS skills.  If you can handle that one,
      you are probably going to be ok.</para>

    <para>Your next step should be to introduce yourself to the other
      committers, otherwise no one will have any idea who you are or
      what you are working on.  You do not have to write a comprehensive
      biography, just write a paragraph or two about who you are and
      what you plan to be working on as a committer in FreeBSD.  Email
      this to <email>cvs-committers@FreeBSD.org</email> and you will be on
      your way!</para>

    <para>Also, be sure to log into <hostid>hub.FreeBSD.org</hostid>
      and create yourself a
      <filename>/var/forward/<replaceable>user</replaceable></filename>
      (where <replaceable>user</replaceable> is your username) file
      which contains your principal e-mail address where you want mail
      to <replaceable>yourusername</replaceable>@FreeBSD.org
      to be forwarded.  Really large mailboxes which have taken up
      permanent residence on <hostid>hub</hostid> often get
      <quote>accidently</quote> truncated without warning, so forward
      it or read it and you will not lose it.</para>

    <para>All new committers also have a mentor assigned to them for
      the first few months.  The name of your mentor listed at the top
      of this message.  Your mentor is more or less responsible for
      explaining anything which is confusing to you and is also
      responsible for your actions during this initial period.  If you
      make a bogus commit, it is only going to embarrass your mentor
      and you should probably make it a policy to pass at least your
      first few commits by your mentor before committing it to the
      repository.</para>

    <para>All commits should go to <literal>-CURRENT</literal> first
      before being merged to <literal>-STABLE</literal>.  No major new
      features or high-risk modifications should be made to the
      <literal>-STABLE</literal> branch.</para>
  </sect1>

  <sect1 id="developer.relations">
    <title>Developer Relations</title>

    <para>If you are working directly on your own code or on code
      which is already well established as your responsibility, then
      there is probably little need to check with other committers
      before jumping in with a commit.  If you see a bug in an area of
      the system which is clearly orphaned (and there are a few such
      areas, to our shame), the same applies.  If, however, you are
      about to modify something which is clearly being actively
      maintained by someone else (and it is only by watching the
      <literal>cvs-all</literal> mailing list that you can really get
      a feel for just what is and is not) then consider sending the
      change to them instead, just as you would have before becoming a
      committer.  For ports, you should contact the listed
      <makevar>MAINTAINER</makevar> in the
      <filename>Makefile</filename>.  For other parts of the
      repository, if you are unsure who the active maintainer might
      be, it may help to scan the output of <command>cvs log</command>
      to see who has committed changes in the past. If your queries go
      unanswered or the committer otherwise indicates a lack of
      proprietary interest in the area affected, go ahead and commit
      it.</para>

    <para>If you are at all unsure about a commit for any reason in
      general, have it reviewed by <literal>-hackers</literal> first
      before committing.  Better to have it flamed then and there
      rather than when it is part of the CVS repository.  If you do
      happen to commit something which results in controversy
      erupting, you may also wish to consider backing the change out
      again until the matter is settled.  Remember &ndash; with CVS we
      can always change it back.</para>
  </sect1>

  <sect1 id="gnats">
    <title>GNATS</title>

    <para>The FreeBSD Project utilizes
      <application>GNATS</application> for tracking bugs and change
      requests.  Be sure that if you commit a fix or suggestion found
      in a <application>GNATS</application> PR, you use
      <command>edit-pr <replaceable>pr-number</replaceable></command>
      on <hostid>freefall</hostid> to close it.  It is also considered
      nice if you take time to close any PRs associated with your
      commits, if appropriate.  Your can also make use of
      &man.send-pr.1; yourself for proposing any change which you feel
      should probably be made, pending a more extensive peer-review
      first.</para>

    <para>You can find out more about <application>GNATS</application>
      at:</para>

    <itemizedlist>
      <listitem>
	<para><ulink url="http://www.cs.utah.edu/csinfo/texinfo/gnats/gnats.html">http://www.cs.utah.edu/csinfo/texinfo/gnats/gnats.html</ulink></para>
      </listitem>

      <listitem>
	<para><ulink url="http://www.FreeBSD.org/support.html">http://www.FreeBSD.org/support.html</ulink></para>
      </listitem>

      <listitem>
	<para><ulink url="http://www.FreeBSD.org/send-pr.html">http://www.FreeBSD.org/send-pr.html</ulink></para>
      </listitem>

      <listitem>
	<para>&man.send-pr.1;</para>
      </listitem>
    </itemizedlist>
  </sect1>

  <sect1 id="people">
    <title>Who's Who</title>

    <para>Besides Peter Wemm and John Polstra, the repository
    meisters, there are other FreeBSD project members whom you will
    probably get to know in your new role as a committer.  Briefly,
    and by no means all-inclusively, these are:</para>

    <variablelist>
      <varlistentry>
	<term>&a.asami;</term>
	
	<listitem>
	  <para>Is the portsmeister, meaning that he has ultimate
	  authority over any modifications to the ports collection or
	  ports make macro files.  He is also the one responsible for
	  administering code freezes before the releases.</para>
	</listitem>
      </varlistentry>

      <varlistentry>
	<term>&a.bde;</term>
	
	<listitem>
	  <para>Is Obersturmbahnfuhrer of the Style Police.  When you
	    do a commit that could have been done better, Bruce will
	    be there to note it to you.  Be thankful that someone
	    is.</para>
	</listitem>
      </varlistentry>

      <varlistentry>
	<term>&a.dg;</term>
	
	<listitem>
	  <para>Is our principal architect and overseer of the VM
	    system.  If you have a VM system change in mind,
	    coordinate it with David.  Should you become locked in
	    bitter, intractable dispute with some other committer over
	    a proposed change (which does not happen very often,
	    thankfully) then an appeal to David to put on his P.A. hat
	    and make a final decision can also occasionally be
	    necessary.</para>
	</listitem>
      </varlistentry>

      <varlistentry>
	<term>&a.jkh;</term>
	
	<listitem>
	  <para>Is the release engineer.  He is responsible for
	    setting release deadlines and controlling the release
	    process.  During code freezes, he also has final authority
	    on all changes to the system for whichever branch is
	    pending release status.  If there is something you want
	    merged from <literal>-CURRENT</literal> to
	    <literal>-STABLE</literal> (whatever values those may have
	    at any given time), he is also the one to talk to about
	    it</para>
	</listitem>
      </varlistentry>

      <varlistentry>
	<term>&a.markm;</term>
	<listitem>
	  <para>Mark is the CVS repository meister for the
	    international cypto repository kept on
	    <hostid>internat.FreeBSD.org</hostid> in South Africa.</para>
          <para>Mark also oversees most of the crypto code; if you have
            any crypto updates, please ask Mark first.</para>
	</listitem>
      </varlistentry>

      <varlistentry>
	<term>&a.steve;</term>
	
	<listitem>
	  <para>Steve is unofficial maintainer of
	    <filename>/usr/src/bin</filename>.  If you have something
	    significant you'd like to do there, you should probably
	    coordinate it first with Steve.  He's also Problem
	    Report-meister, along with &a.phk;.</para>
	</listitem>
      </varlistentry>

      <varlistentry>
	<term>&a.brian;</term>
	
	<listitem>
	  <para>Official maintainer of
	    <filename>/usr/bin/ppp</filename> and LPD.</para>
	</listitem>
      </varlistentry>

      <varlistentry>
	<term>&a.wollman;</term>
	
	<listitem>
	  <para>If you need advice on obscure network internals or
	    aren't sure of some potential change to the networking
	    subsystem you have in mind, Garrett is someone to talk
	    to.</para>
	</listitem>
      </varlistentry>
    </variablelist>
  </sect1>

  <sect1 id="ssh.guide">
    <title>SSH Quick-Start Guide</title>

    <procedure>
      <step>
	<para>Update and install the ssh port in
	  <filename>/usr/ports/security/ssh</filename> (should be
	  version 1.2.25 or later).</para>
      </step>

      <step>
	<para>Make sure that you run &man.ssh-agent.1; before running
	  other applications.  X users, for example, usually do this
	  from their <filename>.xsession</filename> or
	  <filename>.xinitrc</filename> file.  See &man.ssh-agent.1;
	  for details.</para>
      </step>
      
      <step>
	<para>Generate a key pair using &man.ssh-keygen.1;.  The key
	  pair will wind up in the
	  <filename><envar>$HOME</envar>/.ssh</filename>
	  directory.</para>
      </step>

      <step>
	<para>Copy your public key
	  (<filename><envar>$HOME</envar>/.ssh/identity.pub</filename>)
	  into your <filename>authorized_keys</filename> file in your
	  home directory on <hostid>freefall</hostid>
	  (i.e.
	  <filename><envar>$HOME</envar>/.ssh/authorized_keys</filename>).
	</para>
      </step>
    </procedure>
    
    <para>Now you should be able to use &man.ssh-add.1; for
      authentication once per session.  This will prompt you for
      your private key's pass phrase, and then store it in your
      authentication agent (&man.ssh-agent.1;) so that you won't
      have to retype it over and over.</para>
    
    <para>Test by doing something such as <command>ssh
	freefall.FreeBSD.org ls /usr</command>.</para>

    <para>For more information, see
      <filename>/usr/ports/security/ssh</filename>, &man.ssh.1;,
      &man.ssh-agent.1;, &man.scp.1;, and &man.ssh-keygen.1;.</para>
  </sect1>
</article>