From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 X-Spam-Checker-Version: SpamAssassin 3.4.0 (2014-02-07) on dcvr.yhbt.net X-Spam-Level: X-Spam-ASN: AS31976 209.132.176.0/21 X-Spam-Status: No, score=-3.5 required=3.0 tests=AWL,BAYES_00, HEADER_FROM_DIFFERENT_DOMAINS,MSGID_FROM_MTA_HEADER,RP_MATCHES_RCVD shortcircuit=no autolearn=ham autolearn_force=no version=3.4.0 From: Shawn Pearce Subject: Re: Cleaning up git user-interface warts Date: Wed, 15 Nov 2006 17:07:23 -0500 Message-ID: <20061115220723.GB24861@spearce.org> References: <7vbqn9y6w6.fsf@assigned-by-dhcp.cox.net> <7v3b8ltq7r.fsf@assigned-by-dhcp.cox.net> <20061115184914.GA24122@spearce.org> <455B64F7.9040506@gmx.net> <7vejs4l9wy.fsf@assigned-by-dhcp.cox.net> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii NNTP-Posting-Date: Wed, 15 Nov 2006 22:07:47 +0000 (UTC) Cc: Marko Macek , Linus Torvalds , git@vger.kernel.org, cworth@cworth.org, pasky@suse.cz Return-path: Envelope-to: gcvg-git@gmane.org Content-Disposition: inline In-Reply-To: <7vejs4l9wy.fsf@assigned-by-dhcp.cox.net> User-Agent: Mutt/1.5.11 X-AntiAbuse: This header was added to track abuse, please include it with any abuse report X-AntiAbuse: Primary Hostname - corvette.plexpod.net X-AntiAbuse: Original Domain - vger.kernel.org X-AntiAbuse: Originator/Caller UID/GID - [0 0] / [47 12] X-AntiAbuse: Sender Address Domain - spearce.org X-Source: X-Source-Args: X-Source-Dir: Precedence: bulk X-Mailing-List: git@vger.kernel.org Archived-At: Received: from vger.kernel.org ([209.132.176.167]) by ciao.gmane.org with esmtp (Exim 4.43) id 1GkSuv-0003CN-P1 for gcvg-git@gmane.org; Wed, 15 Nov 2006 23:07:38 +0100 Received: (majordomo@vger.kernel.org) by vger.kernel.org via listexpand id S1161827AbWKOWHe (ORCPT ); Wed, 15 Nov 2006 17:07:34 -0500 Received: (majordomo@vger.kernel.org) by vger.kernel.org id S1161829AbWKOWHe (ORCPT ); Wed, 15 Nov 2006 17:07:34 -0500 Received: from corvette.plexpod.net ([64.38.20.226]:31147 "EHLO corvette.plexpod.net") by vger.kernel.org with ESMTP id S1161827AbWKOWHd (ORCPT ); Wed, 15 Nov 2006 17:07:33 -0500 Received: from cpe-74-70-48-173.nycap.res.rr.com ([74.70.48.173] helo=asimov.home.spearce.org) by corvette.plexpod.net with esmtpa (Exim 4.52) id 1GkSub-0006sd-2x; Wed, 15 Nov 2006 17:07:17 -0500 Received: by asimov.home.spearce.org (Postfix, from userid 1000) id D9F9420FB0B; Wed, 15 Nov 2006 17:07:23 -0500 (EST) To: Junio C Hamano Sender: git-owner@vger.kernel.org Junio C Hamano wrote: > The index is quite central to the way git works at the concept > level, and I think it is doing disservice to the end user to try > hiding it forever from them and failing to do so, rather than > being honest and teaching them the concept upfront. > > But me thinking so does not necessarily mean you are forbidden > from trying. Your efforts may result in a system where the > index is totally invisible and the end user never has to know > about it. I agree with what you are saying about the index. But in git-gui I found myself writing code on Monday which tries to hide the index from the user unless he/she requested that the index be made visible. The reason is there are some users who I'd like to give git-gui to who I'm not sure I trust to make sure their index is in sync with their working directory before they commit. In some cases I'm lucky that the user even knows what directory their file is stored in. :-( Yes, there really are computer users who are afraid of directories and command lines. I probably could try to teach them to make sure the final file is included in the index before committing, but I think that for most of them they would find this to be just another couple of mouse clicks they have to perform before every commit, meaning its something that the #$@!*@!*@$# tool should just do for them. --