How to keep sync with the maintainers?

Hi,

I tried to get the patch that adds async support to gnome-vfsmm. 
I got the head cvs, but I was unable to compile it since I had to get
the last version of many other modules (sigc++, glibmm, gtkmm...etc).
I installed few weeks ago: garnome.0.27.1 It takes me a few time to make
it work(Maybe I misuse it, it was the first time). 
If it is to be done each week, then I will have no more time to code
anything!

I suppose the maintainers of gtkmm, gnomemm are 'always' up to date with
cvs.
How you achive that? Is there any scripts?

Another aspects is when a code rely on higher version of other modules
(ex: sigc++)
I suppose the maintainers have this newer version. But what if I don't
have it, How Can I get it and all its dependencies?!

I really wonder how you guys keeps sync with everything!
Solutions (I know about) that trie to make life easier (garnome and
jhbuild) still needs time to be setup correctly.

All developers I know that are new to open-source are blocked by this
aspect.
Even when you installed the last version of a distrib (like Mandrake
10), you are already (completely) out of date!
With garnome, you can 'easily' be up to date with the last main release
versions (like gnome 2.4 with garnome 0.27.1)
But if you want to go further: get the last available patch and why not
contribute to code and correct bugs. What are the solutions?

I know it is a general problem, that may be more appropriate to send on
an other mailing list. But my specific problem is about async support in
gnome-vfsmm. that's why I send it here.

Thanks guy for help.