The paper "RCS - A System for Version Control" by Walter F. Tichy introduces the Revision Control System (RCS), a software tool designed to manage multiple versions and configurations of software systems. RCS is particularly useful for storing specifications, source code, documentation, and test data, but its applications extend to various other text-based documents such as computer graphics, VLSI layouts, form letters, and book chapters. RCS operates on revision groups, which are sets of text documents that evolve from each other through manual changes. Each revision is stored as a delta, a sequence of edit commands that transform one string into another, primarily involving insertions and deletions of lines. This delta-based storage method is space and time efficient, especially for the most frequently accessed recent revisions. The paper covers the basics of using RCS, including how to create and manage revisions, handle locking to prevent conflicts, and manage configurations. It also discusses the historical context of version control systems and compares RCS with other tools like SCCS, SDC, and CMS. Usage statistics from a research environment at Purdue University show that RCS is highly effective in managing multiple revisions, with the most recent revision being the most frequently accessed. The paper concludes with a survey of the state of the art in version control tools, highlighting the ongoing development and improvements in the field.The paper "RCS - A System for Version Control" by Walter F. Tichy introduces the Revision Control System (RCS), a software tool designed to manage multiple versions and configurations of software systems. RCS is particularly useful for storing specifications, source code, documentation, and test data, but its applications extend to various other text-based documents such as computer graphics, VLSI layouts, form letters, and book chapters. RCS operates on revision groups, which are sets of text documents that evolve from each other through manual changes. Each revision is stored as a delta, a sequence of edit commands that transform one string into another, primarily involving insertions and deletions of lines. This delta-based storage method is space and time efficient, especially for the most frequently accessed recent revisions. The paper covers the basics of using RCS, including how to create and manage revisions, handle locking to prevent conflicts, and manage configurations. It also discusses the historical context of version control systems and compares RCS with other tools like SCCS, SDC, and CMS. Usage statistics from a research environment at Purdue University show that RCS is highly effective in managing multiple revisions, with the most recent revision being the most frequently accessed. The paper concludes with a survey of the state of the art in version control tools, highlighting the ongoing development and improvements in the field.