Re: backups with git

[Sitaram Chamarty <sitaramc@gmail.com>]

On Mon, Aug 10, 2009 at 1:57 PM, Roald de Vries<rdv@roalddevries.nl> wrote:

> I'm thinking of using git as a backup solution for my whole system, setting
> my $GIT_DIR to something like "/backupdisc/backup". Does that seem sensible?

The two questions you have to ask yourself are: will I ever branch and
merge in this "repo", and do I really want versions from weeks and
months ago?

A "no" to the first question means you're essentially using a very
powerful VCS as a mere backup system.  I suggest rdiff-backup or (if
it's mature enough now, not sure) duplicity..

A "no" to the second question means you're needlessly keeping lots of
old data, and have to jump through hoops to get rid of it if you need
to.

There's a limit to how much you can Macgyver git into doing what it is
not intended for :-)

Having said all that, I do use git to manage parts of my $HOME that do
satisfy those constraints (config files, ~/bin, etc) -- I do sometimes
branch and merge, and I do want really old versions.  I do this by
putting all of them in a repo, and symlinking them to $HOME.

Regards,

Sitaram