CVS is a system that lets groups of people work simultaneously on groups of files (for instance program sources).
It works by holding a central `repository' of the most recent version of the files. You may at any time create a personal copy of these files by `checking out' the files from the repository into one of your directories. If at a later date newer versions of the files are put in the repository, you can `update' your copy.
You may edit your copy of the files freely. If new versions of the files have been put in the repository in the meantime, doing an update merges the changes in the central copy into your copy.
When you are satisfied with the changes you have made in your copy of the files, you can `commit' them into the central repository.
When you are finally done with your personal copy of the files, you can `release' them and then remove them.
