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Git is just getting in the way of the classic old philosophical discussion of there should only be one correct way to think vs a more multicultural the more way
by VLM 10y ago
Git is just getting in the way of the classic old philosophical discussion of there should only be one correct way to think vs a more multicultural the more ways there are to think and adapt and overcome, the better.
The technical discussion of git innards and workflow just get in the way of the core philosophical discussion, and the innards would fall into place if the philosophical question were answered (as if philosophical questions are ever truly answered, LOL)
A classic example of the philosophical argument is Perl vs Python. There's infinite ways to express yourself vs there is only one way that works.
Now its very politically incorrect to say you like Perl in 2016 and I suspect Git is going to be in big trouble soon enough for the same philosophical reason.
I would be interested in hearing what is the philosophical equivalent of Python for source code revision control. I mean... people can't be seriously suggesting going back to RCS/CVS/SVN/Hg, can they? Or I guess they can? Maybe some closed source silo I'm unfamiliar with? Maybe no revision control at all and go back to tgz files with dates embedded in the filename?
A classic problem with limiting opportunity, limiting the range of thoughts and ideas, is finding a way to do it without impacting productivity or quality. In that way "use something simpler and enormously less capable" would be considered cheating the philosophical problem.
- bad_user 10y agoYou're trying to find too much reasoning. Nowadays many people hate Python as well and I'm speaking as an ex-Python developer that now hates Python. And do you know what's ironic about Python? Because the language excluded certain features, it led to multiple non-orthogonal features that solve very specific use-cases and ways of doing things in its ecosystem, with hacks upon hacks meant to implement ideas from other ecosystems, most of them slightly broken. The problem with language simplicity is that it is misunderstood. Simplicity in the language implementation is often correlated with complexity for the developer, being what happens when you limit what can be expressed.
- VLM 10y agoWRT the reasoning I have a gut level feeling its not technically solvable so I'm going for an abstract proof that its equivalent to a known existing unsolvable philosophical debate, therefore any mention of technical problems or feature list of git is bike shedding because its provably unsolvable at a higher level. So if the answer to the philosophical question is two opposing camps, and we have the source code revision control solution for one pole, then all we need to do is find the opposite pole and then ask the two never to merge (oh the extended pun..) groups, to realize the other side exists and please be civil with each other, etc. That could save a lot of wasted effort. Clearly the equivalent of methodically twisting Python into Perl one little bit at a time isn't going to make anyone on any side happy, or vice versa.
- __jal 10y agoI do think the GP has a point though. Very roughly, by cliche: Perl, Git: "The street finds its own uses." Python: "How can you have any pudding if you don't eat your meat?" (With apologies to those who don't read Gibson or haven't heard Pink Floyd.)
- Amezarak 10y ago> I mean... people can't be seriously suggesting going back to RCS/CVS/SVN/Hg, can they? ...What's wrong with Mercurial? Or is there another Hg source control? Personally, I started using Mercurial when I can and Git when I have to; I can't imagine someone considering Mercurial as backward even if they prefer Git.
- brianwawok 10y agoUsed both, I consider Hg a little kids Git.. which is fine for many workflows - but I do prefer Git.
- kasey_junk 10y agoYou would... I've yet find a workflow I prefer git to hg for.
- kasey_junk 10y agoA) I've used both hg & git extensively and muuuuch prefer hg. B) I find it crazy that people are so reductionist when it comes to source control. There are tons of systems out there beyond the rcs/cvs/svn tree that have explored the space immensely. If all you are comparing to is those then clearly you'd think git was the only choice.