(1) To create your own repository on bob for a directory (project) 
    of yours :

  # go into the directory with the original source files
  $ cd YourProject/
  $ cvs import -m "imported files" YourProject your_name_here start

(2) To get a copy of that directory (project) to work on :

  $ cvs checkout YourProject  

(3) Then edit the files as you wish, and commit changes.
    This command comits all changes to the files in the directory
    into the repository.
    
  $ cvs commit -m "some random change"

(4) You can "release" (tell repository your not working on it) a project
    and even delete the local copy as you do so it if you wish.

  $ cd ..
  $ cvs release -d cvs-example


(5) To include a version string in the source file

      $ Id $  (no spaces) 

    turns into this

      $Id: readme.txt,v 1.7 2002/04/12 21:36:09 msie Exp $

    automatically, each time you "commit" and the file has changed.

(6) To connect from a remote host and get this files,
    first install the cvs client (if you don't already have it),
    say in /usr/local/bin/cvs.  Then

    $ CVS_RSH=/usr/local/bin/ssh; export CVS_RSH
    $ CVSROOT=:ext:username@bob.marlboro.edu:/home/cvs/msie02
    $ cvs checkout YourProject

-----------------

There are many, many other tricks.
And there are also a number of web interfaces, 
and more GUI-ish interfaces to cvs.  

See the tutorials and documentation for more details.