- Because the Cygwin product has become almost 100% compatible with the
Unix/Linux environment, the /BriefCase Windows Client Beta release is
now available on the /BriefCase download page!  There is still no fancy GUI,
and you still have to install most of the Cygwin package, but that is just
the way it is...

Since 1992, ACSi has offered the /BriefCase Toolkit as an advanced
SCM solution for Unix software development environments. Like prior releases,
release 3 implements an easy to use client/server interface to an RCS-based
central repository.  Project directory structure integrity is preserved
automatically through built-in work-directory/repository mapping.
/BriefCase administration overhead is typically so low that even large
operations do not need a "full-time" /BriefCase administrator - contrasting
sharply with commercial SCM packages!


/BriefCase commands provide comprehensive, easy-to-use support for  

  - Project Organization, Revision Control and Release Management
  - Central Repository Management of shared project files
  - Client/server support for multiple developers
  - Easy isolation of bug-fix work from enhancement work
  - Branch Revisions and Merging
  - Integrated product build facility based on 'Make"
  - Integrated defect/enhancement tracking
  - Software Release Life-Cycle Management



Although /BriefCase was designed for large organizations with teams of
developers working on multiple products (projects), today's OpenSource
developers should find its advanced capabilities equally useful and its
minimal administrative overhead appealing.


Major Enhancements in Release 3 include:


  - full documentation - installation instructions, upgrade guidelines plus
    a 170+ page, indexed book: \fI/BriefCase\(tm Release 3 Software
    Configuration Management Toolkit Reference and User's Guide\fP, in PostScript,
    HP-PCL and ASCII text formats.


  - project work tree "replicas" - isolate bug fix work for the production
    release from new feature development by working in separate project replicas


  - cross-replica and cross-client-host lock integrity - /BriefCase
    locks are based on a combination of userid, work directory replica ID
    and client hostname


  - improved Branch Revision and merge support - simplifies management of
    maintenance releases, parallel development and CVS-like "vendor branches"


  - private tags - users can now assign "private" symbolic tags
    manually or at checkin; regular tags remain restricted to admin users


  - Command Behavior Options (CBO) - certain command behaviors
    may be enabled, restricted or disabled, by project


  - Product Life-Cycle Support - helps promote runtime package releases
    from development, through QA/Test, to Production


  - Import/Conversion Tools - scripts and utilities to help
    convert/import SCM archives from CVS, RCS, SCCS and PVCS.


/BriefCase has been in use since 1990, with a proven track record on major
projects for such companies as Dial Corp, Southern New England Telephone
Company, and American Express. /BriefCase is a flexible tool with inherent
value for Development efforts of all sizes. 

/BriefCase Release 3 is distributed in source form, per the GNU General 
Public License (GPL).