Re: Basename matching during rename/copy detection

[Andy Parkins <andyparkins@gmail.com>]

On Thursday 2007 June 21, Junio C Hamano wrote:

> Having many "identical files" in the preimage is just stupid to
> begin with (if you know they are identical, why are you storing
> copies, instead of your build procedure to reuse the same file),
> so the algorithm did not bother finding a better match among
> "equals".

That's a really poor argument; it's not git's place to impose restrictions on 
what is stored in it.

What if it's not a build environment at all but a home directory that's being 
stored - should no one be allowed to store copies of files because 
it's "stupid"?  What if it's a collection of images that all started out the 
same, but have gradually had detail added (which is actually what I do in my 
GUI programs for toolbar images)?  What about files that are used as flags, 
and are all identically empty.

None of those seems like an abuse of a VCS to me.  In fact, I'd say it's one 
of git's strengths that a duplicate file in the working tree doesn't take up 
any extra space in the repository.


Andy

-- 
Dr Andy Parkins, M Eng (hons), MIET
andyparkins@gmail.com