Re: CVS and Jar files: Should you import Jar into the Repository? Why or why not

[Noel Yap]

--- Lee Sau Dan <address@hidden>
wrote:
>     Noel> I'm assuming you mean a straight-edge, not
> a ruler?
> 
> Isn't a ruler for drawing rules, i.e. straing lines?

Funny, the dictionary definition for "ruler" agrees
with you (although it did add the measuring part as
well), but the thesaurus entry for "rule" mentions
only measuring, not drawing.

I think the dictionary definition has given in to
instrument usage pressure instead of keeping the
intended meaning.  In any case, this is still a good
analogy since, according to some, if you're not using
the measuring capabilities, you should be using a
straght-edge.

>     Noel> Actually, this brings up an even better
> analogy: A ruler is
>     Noel> meant to measure things, not as a
> straight-edge.
> 
> I've never seen any "ruler" that does not provide a
> straight edge.

When used often enough as a straight-edge, some rulers
(eg wooden ones) lose their straightness.  These
aren't meant to be used as straight-edges.

>     Noel> There are text formats that aren't easily
> mergable (eg XML) 
> 
> It depends on what tools you use to edit the XML
> files.

IOW, it depends on the layout of the text file.

>     Noel> and binary formats that can be mergable
> (eg Word).  
> 
> B'cos the data encoded inside is just text in
> nature.

I think you're missing the point here.  Let me explain
in more detail.  CVS cannot diff/merge Word documents
even though there exists a well-defined diff/merge
algorithm for them.  CVS may or may not be able to
diff/merge (in any meaningful way) text files
depending on how they're laid out.  IOW, the text or
binary attribute of a file has nothing to do with its
diff or merge attribute.  The two attributes should
not be confused.

>     Noel> Or, more likely, well enough for your
> needs.  Since XML
>     Noel> isn't the typical linear text format (ie
> it's hierarchical),
>     Noel> diff3 isn't the ideal three-way diff tool
> to use.
> 
> Why not?  Pascal programs, for instance, are highly
> hierarchical.  But
> they should (I've never tried) work well with CVS.

You're right, my example isn't ideal.  But if you
think about it, a "correct" diff/merge for XML,
Pascal, etc would be a tree diff/merge, not a linear
one.

In the end, diff3 works because humans break the files
into human-readable lines, not because of anything
inherent in the file formats.

Noel

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