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There's a post on HN of Linus's first version of git (that I can't find). It's short. There's another reason git is a great choice as a large project to build:

There's a post on HN of Linus's first version of git (that I can't find). It's short. There's another reason git is a great choice as a large project to build: you can get something that works very quickly, and then just add to it. Because that is how git was developed. It's like Gall's Law, but evolving only additively. And although Linus was inspired by BitKeeper, it was stripped down to its nakednes, til no longer anything to take away (like Exupery). Also why git's UI design is so terrible.

jacobolus 8y ago
St.-Exupéry’s quotation is about a plane that is perfect and streamlined, so precisely suited to its purpose that it feels like an extension of the pilot’s body. That is not at all the same thing as a hacky prototype just starting out on its journey towards accreting random code detritus.
- hyperpallium 8y ago
  You're right that git isn't an extension of anyone's body - but few engineering projects, where this quote is often applied, are. But you're wrong to describe his prototype code as "hacky" - especially when I'm referring to the design - which really is pared down to the essentials. Even "streamlined" and "precisely suited to its purpose". It's also not "just starting out", in the sense that the design was informed by BitKeeper, just much simpler. When you get your data structures right, the code is obvious (Brooks). You're right to say "accreting". I'm not sure about "random", but you're wrong to call the code "detritus". The engineering on git is really top-notch, extremely performant, but only where needed; and with the most helpful error messages I've ever seen. It has many great aside features, like git diff --color-words. I'm not an git expert; I expect there's much more. PS you're also right it's Saint-Exupéry, not Exupery.
pmarin 8y ago
Maybe the post was Fabien Sanglard's Git code review: http://fabiensanglard.net/git_code_review/index.php http://fabiensanglard.net/git_code_review/index.php
- hyperpallium 8y ago
  Thanks for checking, but that's not it. It was posted on HN. I found Git's initial commit (https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=8650483 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=8650483) which is a repost, linking to https://github.com/git/git/tree/e83c5163316f89bfbde7d9ab23ca2e25604af290 https://github.com/git/git/tree/e83c5163316f89bfbde7d9ab23ca... But it's more complex than I recall, and is dated Apr 8, 2005; wheteas Linus thinks he did the very first version Apr 3. https://www.spinics.net/lists/git/msg24141.html https://www.spinics.net/lists/git/msg24141.html

jacobolus 8y ago

St.-Exupéry’s quotation is about a plane that is perfect and streamlined, so precisely suited to its purpose that it feels like an extension of the pilot’s body. That is not at all the same thing as a hacky prototype just starting out on its journey towards accreting random code detritus.

hyperpallium 8y ago
You're right that git isn't an extension of anyone's body - but few engineering projects, where this quote is often applied, are. But you're wrong to describe his prototype code as "hacky" - especially when I'm referring to the design - which really is pared down to the essentials. Even "streamlined" and "precisely suited to its purpose". It's also not "just starting out", in the sense that the design was informed by BitKeeper, just much simpler. When you get your data structures right, the code is obvious (Brooks). You're right to say "accreting". I'm not sure about "random", but you're wrong to call the code "detritus". The engineering on git is really top-notch, extremely performant, but only where needed; and with the most helpful error messages I've ever seen. It has many great aside features, like git diff --color-words. I'm not an git expert; I expect there's much more. PS you're also right it's Saint-Exupéry, not Exupery.

pmarin 8y ago

Maybe the post was Fabien Sanglard's Git code review: http://fabiensanglard.net/git_code_review/index.php http://fabiensanglard.net/git_code_review/index.php

hyperpallium 8y ago
Thanks for checking, but that's not it. It was posted on HN. I found Git's initial commit (https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=8650483 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=8650483) which is a repost, linking to https://github.com/git/git/tree/e83c5163316f89bfbde7d9ab23ca2e25604af290 https://github.com/git/git/tree/e83c5163316f89bfbde7d9ab23ca... But it's more complex than I recall, and is dated Apr 8, 2005; wheteas Linus thinks he did the very first version Apr 3. https://www.spinics.net/lists/git/msg24141.html https://www.spinics.net/lists/git/msg24141.html