Re: read-only mode

[Michael J Gruber <git@drmicha.warpmail.net>]

jidanni@jidanni.org venit, vidit, dixit 03.12.2008 23:44:
> Here's a documentation stub. Please fix and finish it and place in some manual.

[Warning: irony ahead] Yes master, at your service!
[I'm aware he tone in the quote above may be due to translation issues.]

> ==Using git in read-only mode==
> Let's say you just want to examine things. There is a fine line
> between commands and options that just examine things vs. those that
> change things. One might worry that they can't remember that fine line.
> 
> Therefore the safest way to ensure you are using git in 'read-only mode' is to
> * su nobody, or
> * chmod -R u-w . (and remember to chmod -R u+w when you are finished), or

This does change things (time stamps).

I'd say the two above are no git-specific suggestions at all, and "cp -a
.git .git-orig" is the best safety-net for the cautious (assuming a
clean working tree) when doing heavy work but overkill for inspection.

> * ???

* clone and inspect the clone instead
* use obvious read-only commands (status, log, diff, show, ls-files,
tag&branch without argument) and avoid obvious write commands (commit,
checkout, apply, ...)

Without specifying "things" any further (repo, objects, index, working
tree) I don't really understand what the problem is.

Michael