Setting up CVS for dev.w3.org is a pain each time I do it. This is because I only need to do it whenever there is a new laptop to play with so the details escape me. Future I will however first look up this post and avoid all the hassle. Of course, if the W3C has moved on by that time this will have been a waste of time (now), but Future I will be happy either way. What I remember having done yesterday:
~/.ssh/ with chmod 600. (Do not worry. They are only used for this.)
export CVS_RSH=ssh in ~/.profile.
CVSROOT=user@dev.w3.org:/sources/public cvs checkout path/to/stuff.
And when I put it like this. I wonder why it took me way over thirty minutes. Waste of time. Future I, be warned and read this first!