The only valid point made is that checkout has two functions: * If there does not exist a branch 'foo', then 'git checkout foo' will reset the file named foo t

The only valid point made is that checkout has two functions: * If there does not exist a branch 'foo', then 'git checkout foo' will reset the file named foo to the head. * If such a branch does exist, then 'git checkout foo' will move to that branch. You have to say 'git checkout -- foo' to have the first behaviour.