Re: [Monotone-devel] namespace-ifying attrs

[hendrik]

On Wed, Dec 14, 2005 at 05:30:15AM -0800, Nathaniel Smith wrote:
> I'd like to bring up the idea of namespace-ifying file attributes.
> Basically, replacing "execute" with "mtn:execute", and so forth.
> 
> The proximal inspiration comes from subversion:
>   http://svnbook.red-bean.com/en/1.1/ch07s02.html#svn-ch-7-sect-2.1
> which supports a number of built-in "properties" (their equivalent to
> file attributes):
>   http://svnbook.red-bean.com/en/1.1/ch07s02.html#svn-ch-7-sect-2.3
> and prefixes them all with "svn:", to keep them distinct from any
> custom properties that users might define.
> 
> This is similar to how we reserve "MT" and ".mt-*" in the monotone
> working copy namespace for our own use; we would reserve "mtn:" for
> our own use in the attr namespace.
> 
> Objections:
>   -- not really necessary, because there are hardly any attributes
>      anyway
>   -- just clutters up the place with unnecessary concepts and
>      punctuation; feels like something a plodding corporation would
>      come up with

  -- What other features are the users going to demand?  Renaming
     attributes on checking in new files?  Renaiming entire namespaces
     of attributes?  Merging attributes that were invented on different
     branches but have teh same meaning?

> Counter-objections:
>   -- better safe than sorry; we don't know whether there will be an
>      explosion of custom attrs or not.
> 
> As to prior work, I have in some quick searching found some evidence
> that people make use of these properties in svn:
>   http://projects.edgewall.com/trac/ticket/1601
>   http://tmate.org/tracker/view.php?id=117&nbn=3
> (I googled for "custom svn properties".)
> 
> I'm leaning towards doing this.  The time to do it is now, when we
> rebuild for rosters anyway; I would _like_ the rosters rebuild to
> result in something that we are comfortable supporting in the long
> term.  I don't know if it will happen, but it seems worth making the
> attempt.
> 
> So, should we do this?
> 
> If we do do this, the most important question is how to migrate.  In
> particular, what should "rosterify" do with any custom attributes that
> people are already using?
> 
> -- Nathaniel
> 
> 
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