The Mambo code is hosted in a public code management repository employing the Subversion (SVN) system. The repository is available at:
Web address: http://mambo-code.org/svn/mambo/
User: anonymous
Password: leave it blank
As an open source project, Mambo believes in open development and this means that unless there are compelling reasons for closing code to public access then all our development code is available for anyone to view, download, and use (under the terms of our GNU/GPL license of course).
Some open source projects do not provide SVN access at all and simply publish the final release. We have never believed in that but unfortunately situations can arise where protection of the code base means we have to close off access to a branch. Such a situation arose with Mambo 4.7.
Early Mambo 4.7 code was taken from SVN and used in a proprietary product. Due to difficulties in enforcing our license (an ongoing situation), this product is still using the Mambo code. So, the team had a hard decision to make - continuing to leave access to the 4.7 branch open to all and risk seeing our work being used by commercial interests as fast as we write it, or close that branch and keep scavengers out. The Mambo 4.7 repository was closed in 2007.
How does that affect development?
It creates more work for the development team but does not have much impact on contributions. All code that is in the public SVN is being used in Mambo 4.7 so you can build on that code. The committers simply have to merge contributions as they are made.
It does mean you cannot see the latest and greatest improvements or the new features that are coming in 4.7, but it also means that those who seek to profit from our work don't get to see this either. Ultimately, we feel that the protection of the work of all our contributors is worth the small inconvenience.
The SVN will be opened at the time of our first public release (beta).
Added by