When I wrote Rumored to Exist, I used RCS, a source control system that used to be popular for unix. (Since then, the cool kids have gone to using CVS, then Subversion, then Git.)
Each time I checked in a file, I left a little comment. Here’s a log of those comments, in reverse chronological order. (Note that I started using RCS about three years into the writing of the book, so everything before that was not recorded.)
RCS file: RCS/rumor-current.txt,v Working file: rumor-current.txt head: 7.10 branch: locks: strict jkonrath: 7.10 access list: symbolic names: keyword substitution: kv total revisions: 54; selected revisions: 54 description: Rumored to Exist main book ---------------------------- revision 7.10 locked by: jkonrath; date: 2002/06/09 16:01:14; author: jkonrath; state: Exp; lines: +9 -6 OK, I'm taking it over to Word. Wish me luck... ---------------------------- revision 7.9 date: 2002/06/08 03:23:29; author: jkonrath; state: Exp; lines: +644 -545 No flags! A complete draft, and I just checked spelling, but it needs more work... ---------------------------- revision 7.8 date: 2002/06/01 22:17:12; author: jkonrath; state: Exp; lines: +272 -260 This is the finish of a paper draft. Lots of corrections... ---------------------------- revision 7.7 date: 2002/05/29 03:31:44; author: jkonrath; state: Exp; lines: +1345 -934 More changes, after going through a half paper draft. ---------------------------- revision 7.6 date: 2001/12/24 04:36:04; author: jkonrath; state: Exp; lines: +493 -482 This includes comments and corrections from a paper draft edit that slowly took place over november and december, I think. ---------------------------- revision 7.5 date: 2001/12/23 05:16:11; author: jkonrath; state: Exp; lines: +584 -429 Moving to a new machine, and there may be some editing cruft in there, too. ---------------------------- revision 7.4 date: 2001/09/26 20:51:32; author: root; state: Exp; lines: +1370 -1444 Just thinking checking in would be a good idea. No logic behind it tho. ---------------------------- revision 7.3 date: 2001/09/07 03:41:30; author: root; state: Exp; lines: +170 -322 Removed a couple of dead ones, did some merges on three sets of them. ---------------------------- revision 7.2 date: 2001/09/03 04:50:30; author: root; state: Exp; lines: +203 -195 This has all of Marie's edits, plus a spellcheck, and some comments. ---------------------------- revision 7.1 date: 2001/07/29 05:04:33; author: root; state: Exp; lines: +509 -455 Changes from paper edits on 7.0. Includes some comments. ---------------------------- revision 7.0 date: 2001/07/05 20:53:40; author: root; state: Exp; lines: +2 -2 Bumping up to draft 7 in rcs. ---------------------------- revision 2.32 date: 2001/07/05 20:17:29; author: root; state: Exp; lines: +504 -38 Aah, no comments. Close to the finish? Probably not. ---------------------------- revision 2.31 date: 2001/05/24 02:06:22; author: root; state: Exp; lines: +391 -419 Another check-in, with most of the comments fixed, and just a bunch of vacant stuff and ordering issues to be done before this draft is wrapped up. ---------------------------- revision 2.30 date: 2001/05/20 01:36:35; author: root; state: Exp; lines: +327 -529 I cut out about 4 or 5 things, pushes this below 80K, but makes it much better. Now I need to start writing more new stuff. ---------------------------- revision 2.29 date: 2001/05/10 04:08:50; author: root; state: Exp; lines: +777 -750 This is the version recovered from a PDB file. ---------------------------- revision 2.28 date: 2001/05/10 04:08:06; author: root; state: Exp; lines: +397 -474 This is a messup from a crash. ---------------------------- revision 2.27 date: 2001/02/25 06:23:10; author: root; state: Exp; lines: +452 -379 The rest of the paper draft in there. ---------------------------- revision 2.26 date: 2001/02/25 00:38:17; author: root; state: Exp; lines: +131 -107 The beginning of comments on a paper draft - 0-38. ---------------------------- revision 2.25 date: 2000/12/18 02:09:15; author: root; state: Exp; lines: +861 -855 Another reorg, spelling. ---------------------------- revision 2.24 date: 2000/12/08 23:17:56; author: root; state: Exp; lines: +401 -488 Another paper draft.... ---------------------------- revision 2.23 date: 2000/11/25 04:50:27; author: root; state: Exp; lines: +1223 -1394 A bunch of stuff done, holding at 200... ---------------------------- revision 2.22 date: 2000/11/09 03:51:40; author: root; state: Exp; lines: +213 -144 I just entered a ton of comments from a paper edit. No real new stuff though. ---------------------------- revision 2.21 date: 2000/10/26 02:56:56; author: root; state: Exp; lines: +473 -510 A quick checkin with comments from a 9/20 paper draft. No real changes in content, though. I'm going to start moving things, hence this. ---------------------------- revision 2.20 date: 2000/10/16 21:05:32; author: root; state: Exp; lines: +548 -24 206, 83K ---------------------------- revision 2.19 date: 2000/09/16 15:44:09; author: root; state: Exp; lines: +1010 -490 Almost 78K, 0-192, 75% there. This also includes all of the edits on a paper draft from about a month ago, including tons of comments on ordering and stuff I don't like anymore. ---------------------------- revision 2.18 date: 2000/08/22 21:16:54; author: root; state: Exp; lines: +438 -14 72812, 180. Checking in just because. ---------------------------- revision 2.17 date: 2000/07/31 16:40:47; author: root; state: Exp; lines: +476 -174 I feel a great need to check in. 0-168, almost 69K. ---------------------------- revision 2.16 date: 2000/05/26 17:21:28; author: root; state: Exp; lines: +99 -16 Just making sure everything is cool here. ---------------------------- revision 2.15 date: 2000/03/17 05:31:21; author: root; state: Exp; lines: +22 -46 blah. ---------------------------- revision 2.14 date: 2000/03/02 17:57:50; author: root; state: Exp; lines: +170 -7 I haven't been doing anything for a long time. 65K, 161? ---------------------------- revision 2.13 date: 2000/01/26 16:10:30; author: root; state: Exp; lines: +301 -54 I'm above 63K, but it's going slow. Just wanted to ci and get something in for the new year. ---------------------------- revision 2.12 date: 1999/12/21 04:58:46; author: root; state: Exp; lines: +372 -278 The first checkin at the place in Astoria. No idea what's here - it has been almost a month since I did any work. Maybe it will pick up soon? At 61K now. ---------------------------- revision 2.11 date: 1999/11/20 04:15:04; author: root; state: Exp; lines: +236 -7 Lots more - broke 60K, 148. ---------------------------- revision 2.10 date: 1999/11/16 18:59:04; author: root; state: Exp; lines: +179 -11 I'm slowly doing some work - 142/57658. Staying home sick today, hoping to hit 60K someday. ---------------------------- revision 2.9 date: 1999/11/11 02:21:44; author: root; state: Exp; lines: +115 -3 Lather. Rinse. Repeat. ---------------------------- revision 2.8 date: 1999/11/06 18:09:16; author: root; state: Exp; lines: +76 -1 Almost 55K words. Not much new here, but I should be checking in as much as possible since I'm moving between 2 machines. ---------------------------- revision 2.7 date: 1999/10/27 03:09:24; author: root; state: Exp; lines: +154 -2 54K, 133 done. Just checking in to be on the safe side. I'm shuffling stuff back and forth to write at work, and you never know. ---------------------------- revision 2.6 date: 1999/10/24 16:13:48; author: root; state: Exp; lines: +174 -57 Mostly checking if the log message works, a couple of new things. ---------------------------- revision 2.5 date: 1999/10/17 16:55:39; author: root; state: Exp; lines: +557 -1 I haven't even looked at this in months - started my new job at juno and all - i am checking in before i start to fuck with anything, just in case there are changes - actually, i think i stopped right at the halfway mark, so there are some new things. ---------------------------- revision 2.4 date: 1999/08/16 22:14:08; author: root; state: Exp; lines: +1265 -18 Approaching the halfway mark, running out of steam. i just wrote the same comment for the seattle checkin, too. ---------------------------- revision 2.3 date: 1999/07/31 00:22:54; author: root; state: Exp; lines: +794 -89 Slow month. Given up on the annotations. Up to 82 now, still chugging along on it. ---------------------------- revision 2.2 date: 1999/06/30 01:03:31; author: root; state: Exp; lines: +215 -0 Here's 0-63 (well, no 0), but they still need a once-over. This is where I will start messing with annotations. ---------------------------- revision 2.1 date: 1999/06/29 06:44:34; author: root; state: Exp; lines: +538 -9 Here's a checkin with what I decided to keep plus some salvaged stuff. ---------------------------- revision 2.0 date: 1999/06/19 02:22:08; author: root; state: Exp; lines: +73 -4660 Here's the first major cut and dice. not much left! ---------------------------- revision 1.10 date: 1999/06/18 20:30:02; author: root; state: Exp; lines: +41 -7 This is the first checkin of the sixth draft, aka the "New York" draft In a second, I will blank this out, and start clean. I've got another copy called the Seattle Draft, and I'll hand-pick the stuff I like and put it back in here. Right? ---------------------------- revision 1.9 date: 1999/06/11 22:09:58; author: root; state: Exp; lines: +264 -13 I'm in New York, so I should check in. This is up to 159, maybe 63K words. Still many comments, and a few new pieces. ---------------------------- revision 1.8 date: 1999/01/31 10:51:49; author: root; state: Exp; lines: +148 -59 above 150 now. they all suck, though. ---------------------------- revision 1.7 date: 1999/01/28 05:51:01; author: root; state: Exp; lines: +537 -36 60,000 words, motherfucker. ---------------------------- revision 1.6 date: 1999/01/12 05:15:53; author: root; state: Exp; lines: +1045 -649 Contains a single pass of commenting on the first half, Marie's comments integrated (mostly), and a few new ones that pretty much suck. ---------------------------- revision 1.5 date: 1998/10/26 06:03:21; author: root; state: Exp; lines: +732 -29 0-127 (I hope) ---------------------------- revision 1.4 date: 1998/08/04 03:39:49; author: root; state: Exp; lines: +73 -1 eating white castle, checking in shit. ---------------------------- revision 1.3 date: 1998/07/31 03:41:47; author: root; state: Exp; lines: +74 -2 more junk for the peanut gallery. ---------------------------- revision 1.2 date: 1998/07/26 22:02:31; author: root; state: Exp; lines: +1 -0 this is a test of rcs - i hope it works. ---------------------------- revision 1.1 date: 1998/07/26 21:05:55; author: root; state: Exp; Initial revision =============================================================================