Future suggestion's to assist with changes to git.

I would like to have a positive outcome of all the theaded emails.  So 
this is an attempt to create a new thread that may focus on what can be 
done in the future.

From other threads, this was very note-able and I think it is a good 

start for this new thread...

On Thu, 28 Aug 2008, Jeff King wrote:

On Thu, Aug 28, 2008 at 01:23:50PM -0700, Perry Wagle wrote:

quoted

But, my problem is not git<DASH> vs git<SPACE>, but the slap-dash way 
upward compatibility was broken and the "water over the dam" slippery 
slope rationalizations that refuse to consider reverting.  "You" will 
do it again in the future since you are declaring success here.  And 
"you" have likely done it in the past 6 months.

I don't think Junio is declaring success. In fact, I think he has sent
several messages saying (paraphrasing of course):

 - this was obviously not done in the best manner possible, because of
   the number of people complaining

 - we will try to do better about notification next time such a change
   is made. Please make suggestions about how to do so.

 - since we have already released and already broken everybody, and
   these people are now complaining on the list, there is not much
   point in trying to notify people of _this_ change now

Maybe on item could be on the git web site news items could be created to 
announce backward compatibility changes.  I think most people do visit the 
main website to look for information.  Having these changes posted there 
or linked from the main page could be a positive method so something like 
this will not happen in the future.

Junio (and others) have tried to be very careful about breaking
backwards compatibility, especially for scripting interfaces. We thought
sufficient steps were taken this time, but clearly some disagree.

+1, I am very grateful for the effort of all that try to keep this and the 
positive things done with git.  I really appreaciate what Junio does to 
notify every one on the email list.  What we learned is not everyone reads 
the changes being made with the announcements.  So maybe making a visible 
link or announcements on the main web page could assist with the 
notification and prevent future issues.

So please stop making specious claims that there are crazy 
backwards-incompatibility bugs lurking throughout new versions of git. 
If there are, then please find and name them. If not, then I think the 
git community would welcome suggestions about how better to notify users 
about the rare changes like this one.


-Peff

+1  So let's make constructive suggestions so we can prevent this in the 
future.

BTW, I dropped all the CC's to make sure this starts fresh.

Thanks,

--
Boyd Gerber [off-list ref]
ZENEZ	1042 East Fort Union #135, Midvale Utah  84047