I'm new to subversion so hopefully there is a good workaround to this conceptual problem...

Say a project has only two files (to keep things simple):
1. code.c
2. design.pdf

Project lifestyle:
1. Make a new base repository
2. Users checkout, modify, merge, commit
3. More users checkout, modify, merge, commit
4. One branch is made (aka Alpha), another branch his made (aka Bravo)
5. Users under the Alpha configuration need the code and design to look a specific way. Users checkout, modify, merge, commit under their branch.
6. Users under the Bravo configuration need the code and design to look a specific way. Users checkout, modify, merge, commit under their branch.

Problem...
7. Users under Alpha or Bravo find some bugs in the base code and/or design, but Alpha and Bravo can't exactly merge because their specific configurations will always be different.

How does Subversion handle this problem? Because the Alpha and Bravo guys have different configurations, they can merge code, but constantly have to ignore certain changes. Furthermore, they can't really merge the design since the design is in PDF format.

How should I handle this scenario?

I don't know if this would actually work, but here is my thought.  Have a third branch (or maybe the trunk), just for bug fixes and changes necessary in both branches.  Then have alpha and bravo check out those changes.  This probably isn't practical for files that aren't code (images, pdf, etc), but I think it should work for bugs.  Let me know if that makes sense.

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