README.md: Move 'Talks' back into 'Intorudction'

[code/vcsh.git] / README.md

diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
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--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -1,31 +1,23 @@
-vcsh - manage config files in $HOME via fake bare git repositories
+vcsh - Version Control System for $HOME (based on git)

 
 

-# Index #
-
-1. Contact
-2. Introduction
-3. Overview
-4. Getting Started
-5. Usage
-
-# 1 Contact #
-
-There are several ways to get in touch with the author and a small but committed
-community around the general idea of version controlling your (digital) life.

 
 

-* IRC: #vcs-home on irc.oftc.net
+# Index #

 
 

-* Mailing list: [http://lists.madduck.net/listinfo/vcs-home][vcs-home-list]
+1. [Introduction](#introduction)
+2. [30 second howto](#30-second-howto)
+3. [Overview](#overview)
+4. [Getting Started](#getting-started)
+5. [Usage](#usage)
+6. [Contact](#contact)

 
 

-* Pull requests or issues on [https://github.com/RichiH/vcsh][vcsh]

 
 

-# 2 Introduction #
+# Introduction #

 
 [vcsh][vcsh] allows you to maintain several git repositories in one single
 directory. They all maintain their working trees without clobbering each other
 or interfering otherwise. By default, all git repositories maintained via
 `vcsh` are stored in `$HOME` but you can override this setting if you want to.
 
 [vcsh][vcsh] allows you to maintain several git repositories in one single
 directory. They all maintain their working trees without clobbering each other
 or interfering otherwise. By default, all git repositories maintained via
 `vcsh` are stored in `$HOME` but you can override this setting if you want to.

-All that means that you can have one repository per application or application
+All this means that you can have one repository per application or application

 family, i.e. `zsh`, `vim`, `ssh`, etc. This, in turn, allows you to clone
 custom sets of configurations onto different machines or even for different
 users; picking and mixing which configurations you want to use where.
 family, i.e. `zsh`, `vim`, `ssh`, etc. This, in turn, allows you to clone
 custom sets of configurations onto different machines or even for different
 users; picking and mixing which configurations you want to use where.


@@ -33,48 +25,69 @@ For example, you may not need to have your `mplayer` configuration on a server
 or available to root and you may want to maintain different configuration for
 `ssh` on your personal and your work machines.
 
 or available to root and you may want to maintain different configuration for
 `ssh` on your personal and your work machines.
 

-`vcsh` was designed with [mr][mr] in mind so you might want to install that, as
-well.
+`vcsh` was designed with [mr][mr], a tool to manage Multiple Repositories, in
+mind and the two integrate very nicely. `mr` has native support for `vcsh`
+repositories and to `vcsh`, `mr` is just another configuration to track.
+This make setting up any new machine a breeze. It takes literally less than
+five minutes to go from standard installation to fully set up system

 
 

-Read `INSTALL.md` and `PACKAGING` for instructions specific to your operating
-system.
+A lot of modern UNIX-based systems offer pacakges for `vcsh`. In case yours
+does not read `INSTALL.md` for install instructions or `PACKAGING.md` to create
+a package, yourself. If you do end up packaging `vcsh` please let us know so we
+can give you your own packaging branch in the upstream repository.

 
 

-The following overview will try to give you an idea of the use cases and
-advantages of `vcsh`. See sections 3 and 4 for detailed instructions and
-examples.
-
-## 2.1 Talks ##
+## Talks ##

 
 Some people found it useful to look at slides and videos explaining how `vcsh`
 
 Some people found it useful to look at slides and videos explaining how `vcsh`

-works.
+works instead of working through the docs, first.

 They can all be found [on the author's talk page][talks].
 
 They can all be found [on the author's talk page][talks].
 

-# 3 Overview

 
 

-## 3.1 Comparison to Other Solutions ##
+# 30 second howto #
+
+While it may appear that there's an overwhelming amount of documentation and
+while the explanation of the concepts behind `vcsh` needs to touch a few gory
+details of `git` internals, getting started with `vcsh` is extremely simple.
+
+Let's say you want to version control your `vim` configuration:
+
+    vcsh init vim
+    vcsh vim add ~/.vimrc ~/.vim
+    vcsh vim commit -m 'Initial commit of my Vim configuration'
+    # optionally push your files to a remote
+    vcsh vim <remote> add origin REMOTE
+    vcsh vim push origin master:master
+
+If all that looks a _lot_ like standard `git`, that's no coincidence; it's
+a design feature.
+
+
+# Overview
+
+## Comparison to Other Solutions ##

 
 Most people who decide to put their dotfiles under version control start with a
 
 Most people who decide to put their dotfiles under version control start with a

-single repository in $HOME, adding all their dotfiles (and possibly more)
+single repository in `$HOME`, adding all their dotfiles (and possibly more)

 to it. This works, of course, but can become a nuisance as soon as you try to
 manage more than one host.
 
 The next logical step is to create single-purpose repositories in, for example,
 to it. This works, of course, but can become a nuisance as soon as you try to
 manage more than one host.
 
 The next logical step is to create single-purpose repositories in, for example,

-~/.dotfiles and to create symbolic links in $HOME. This gives you the
+`~/.dotfiles` and to create symbolic links into `$HOME`. This gives you the

 flexibility to check out only certain repositories on different hosts. The
 downsides of this approach are the necessary manual steps of cloning and
 flexibility to check out only certain repositories on different hosts. The
 downsides of this approach are the necessary manual steps of cloning and

-symlinking the individual repositories. It will probably become a nuisance when
-you try to manage more than two hosts.
+symlinking the individual repositories.

 
 

-vcsh takes this second approach one step further. It expects
+`vcsh` takes this second approach one step further. It expects

 single-purpose repositories and stores them in a hidden directory (similar
 single-purpose repositories and stores them in a hidden directory (similar

-to ~/.dotfiles). However, it does not create symbolic links in $HOME; it puts
-the actual files right into $HOME.
+to `~/.dotfiles`). However, it does not create symbolic links in `$HOME`; it
+puts the actual files right into `$HOME`.

 
 

-Furthermore, by making use of [mr] [1], it makes it very easy to enable/disable
-and clone a large number of repositories. The use of mr is technically optional
-(see 4.3), but it will be an integral part of the proposed system that follows.
+Furthermore, by making use of [mr][mr], it makes it very easy to enable/disable
+and clone a large number of repositories. The use of `mr` is technically
+optional (see section 4.3), but it will be an integral part of the proposed
+system that follows.

 
 

-## 3.2 Default Directory Layout ##
+## Default Directory Layout ##

 
 To illustrate, this is what a possible directory structure looks like.
 
 
 To illustrate, this is what a possible directory structure looks like.
 


@@ -162,7 +175,7 @@ will throw a warning and exit. Move away your old config and try again.
 Optionally, merge your local and your global configs afterwards and push with
 `vcsh run foo git push`.
 
 Optionally, merge your local and your global configs afterwards and push with
 `vcsh run foo git push`.
 

-## 3.3 Moving into a New Host ##
+## Moving into a New Host ##

 
 To illustrate further, the following steps could move your desired
 configuration to a new host.
 
 To illustrate further, the following steps could move your desired
 configuration to a new host.


@@ -184,7 +197,8 @@ Hopefully the above could help explain how this approach saves time by
 
 If you want to give vcsh a try, follow the instructions below.
 
 
 If you want to give vcsh a try, follow the instructions below.
 

-# 4 Getting Started #
+
+# Getting Started #

 
 Below, you will find a few different methods for setting up vcsh:
 
 
 Below, you will find a few different methods for setting up vcsh:
 


@@ -192,9 +206,9 @@ Below, you will find a few different methods for setting up vcsh:
 2. The Steal-from-Template Way
 3. The Manual Way
 
 2. The Steal-from-Template Way
 3. The Manual Way
 

-### 4.1 The Template Way ###
+### The Template Way ###

 
 

-#### 4.1.1 Prerequisites ####
+#### Prerequisites ####

 
 Make sure none of the following files and directories exist for your test
 (user). If they do, move them away for now:
 
 Make sure none of the following files and directories exist for your test
 (user). If they do, move them away for now:


@@ -211,15 +225,15 @@ the template will be stored.
 
     apt-get install mr
 
 
     apt-get install mr
 

-#### 4.1.2 Install vcsh ####
+#### Install vcsh ####

 
 

-#### 4.1.2.1 Debian ####
+#### Debian ####

 
 If you are using Debian Squeeze, you will need to enable backports
 
     apt-get install vcsh
 
 
 If you are using Debian Squeeze, you will need to enable backports
 
     apt-get install vcsh
 

-#### 4.1.2.2 Arch Linux ####
+#### Arch Linux ####

 
 vcsh is availabe via [AUR](https://aur.archlinux.org/packages.php?ID=54164)
 and further documentation about the use of AUR is available
 
 vcsh is availabe via [AUR](https://aur.archlinux.org/packages.php?ID=54164)
 and further documentation about the use of AUR is available


@@ -232,7 +246,7 @@ and further documentation about the use of AUR is available
     makepkg -s
     pacman -U vcsh*.pkg.tar.xz
 
     makepkg -s
     pacman -U vcsh*.pkg.tar.xz
 

-#### 4.1.2.3 From source ####
+#### From source ####

 
 If your version of mr is older than version 1.07, make sure to put
 
 
 If your version of mr is older than version 1.07, make sure to put
 


@@ -248,11 +262,11 @@ into your .mrconfig .
     ln -s vcsh /usr/local/bin                       # or add it to your PATH
     cd
 
     ln -s vcsh /usr/local/bin                       # or add it to your PATH
     cd
 

-#### 4.1.3 Clone the Template ####
+#### Clone the Template ####

 
     vcsh clone git://github.com/RichiH/vcsh_mr_template.git mr
 
 
     vcsh clone git://github.com/RichiH/vcsh_mr_template.git mr
 

-#### 4.1.4 Enable Your Test Repository ####
+#### Enable Your Test Repository ####

 
     mv ~/.zsh   ~/zsh.bak
     mv ~/.zshrc ~/zshrc.bak
 
     mv ~/.zsh   ~/zsh.bak
     mv ~/.zshrc ~/zshrc.bak


@@ -261,7 +275,7 @@ into your .mrconfig .
     cd
     mr up
 
     cd
     mr up
 

-#### 4.1.5 Set Up Your Own Repositories ####
+#### Set Up Your Own Repositories ####

 
 Now, it's time to edit the template config and fill it with your own remotes:
 
 
 Now, it's time to edit the template config and fill it with your own remotes:
 


@@ -281,7 +295,7 @@ And then create your own stuff:
 
 Done!
 
 
 Done!
 

-### 4.2 The Steal-from-Template Way ###
+### The Steal-from-Template Way ###

 
 You're welcome to clone the example repository:
 
 
 You're welcome to clone the example repository:
 


@@ -293,7 +307,7 @@ Look around in the clone. It should be reasonably simple to understand. If not,
 poke me, RichiH, on Freenode (query) or OFTC (#vcs-home).
 
 
 poke me, RichiH, on Freenode (query) or OFTC (#vcs-home).
 
 

-### 4.3 The Manual Way ###
+### The Manual Way ###

 
 This is how my old setup procedure looked like. Adapt it to your own style or
 copy mine verbatim, either is fine.
 
 This is how my old setup procedure looked like. Adapt it to your own style or
 copy mine verbatim, either is fine.


@@ -331,9 +345,10 @@ mr is used to actually retrieve configs, etc
     ~ % cd
     ~ % mr -j 5 up
 
     ~ % cd
     ~ % mr -j 5 up
 

-# 5 Usage #

 
 

-### 5.1 Keeping repositories Up-to-Date ###
+# Usage #
+
+### Keeping repositories Up-to-Date ###

 
 This is the beauty of it all. Once you are set up, just run:
 
 
 This is the beauty of it all. Once you are set up, just run:
 


@@ -342,7 +357,7 @@ This is the beauty of it all. Once you are set up, just run:
 
 Neat.
 
 
 Neat.
 

-### 5.1 Making Changes ###
+### Making Changes ###

 
 After you have made some changes, for which you would normally use `git add`
 and `git commit`, use the vcsh wrapper (like above):
 
 After you have made some changes, for which you would normally use `git add`
 and `git commit`, use the vcsh wrapper (like above):


@@ -355,7 +370,7 @@ By the way, you'll have to use -f/--force flag with git-add because all files
 will be ignored by default. This is to show you only useful output when running
 git-status. A fix for this problem is being worked on.
 
 will be ignored by default. This is to show you only useful output when running
 git-status. A fix for this problem is being worked on.
 

-### 5.3 Using vcsh without mr ###
+### Using vcsh without mr ###

 
 vcsh encourages you to use [mr] [1]. It helps you manage a large number of
 repositories by running the necessary vcsh commands for you. You may choose not
 
 vcsh encourages you to use [mr] [1]. It helps you manage a large number of
 repositories by running the necessary vcsh commands for you. You may choose not


@@ -383,6 +398,18 @@ manually. Alternatively, you could try something like this:
     done
 
 
     done
 
 

+# Contact #
+
+There are several ways to get in touch with the author and a small but committed
+community around the general idea of version controlling your (digital) life.
+
+* IRC: #vcs-home on irc.oftc.net
+
+* Mailing list: [http://lists.madduck.net/listinfo/vcs-home][vcs-home-list]
+
+* Pull requests or issues on [https://github.com/RichiH/vcsh][vcsh]
+
+

 [mr]: http://kitenet.net/~joey/code/mr/
 [talks]: http://richardhartmann.de/talks/
 [vcsh]: https://github.com/RichiH/vcsh
 [mr]: http://kitenet.net/~joey/code/mr/
 [talks]: http://richardhartmann.de/talks/
 [vcsh]: https://github.com/RichiH/vcsh