[Gnu-arch-users] Re: taglines vs explicit

[Zack Brown]

On Sat, Oct 04, 2003 at 12:21:20AM +0200, Andrea Arcangeli wrote:
> On Fri, Oct 03, 2003 at 03:03:20PM -0700, Zack Brown wrote:
> > On Fri, Oct 03, 2003 at 09:14:26PM +0200, Andrea Arcangeli wrote:
> > > As said I really want to execute add/move/delete-tag, it's a feature. As
> > > such I've to keep tagline disabled. I don't want to depend on file
> > > contents for the revision control.
> > ...
> > > I just feel unreliable with taglines. And I risk pain if somebody sends
> > > two files with the same arch-id to Linus from two different projects
> > > (though it's a very small risk). And you force me to watch those
> > > metadata garbage that annoys me ;)
> > 
> > This is a very strange thread. tla already allows you to choose not to
> > use taglines, so there doesn't seem to be any reason to argue about it.
> > 
> > So, if we assume you use 'explicit' tagging, then are you still unable to
> > get what you need from tla? What else is missing, aside from the speedup
> 
> Of course not, explicit is exactly what I want. the context thread here
> was not about explicit, it was only about the suggestion to use taglines
> for l-k. If the l-k main repository will use taglines, then when I
> checkout I will get it too and I understood at the moment changing
> between taglines to explicit isn't trivial.

It's just strange because people have been advocating 'taglines' as if
there is no justification to use anything else. If that were the case,
why would arch support any alternatives?

I think one of the main reasons people are so vehement about it, is because
the 'tagline' method can be confusing until the big payoff is discovered
(regular filesystem commands 'just work' etc). So there's always that sense
that if someone doesn't like tagline, it might be just because they didn't
understand it.

But there's no reason not to use 'explicit' for the Linux kernel. The
'tagline' method is one of arch's big features, and it's very cool and
powerful, and there is *probably* a way to get it configured properly
for almost any situation; but it's not necessary at all.

I think if you or others start using arch for the kernel, there might
one day be a movement to migrate from 'explicit' to 'taglines', and then
that will be difficult. But I'm sure a way will be found when the time
comes.

Be well,
Zack

> 
> Andrea - If you prefer relying on open source software, check these links:
>           rsync.kernel.org::pub/scm/linux/kernel/bkcvs/linux-2.[45]/
>           http://www.cobite.com/cvsps/

-- 
Zack Brown