Re: DWIM "git checkout frotz" to "git checkout -b frotz origin/frotz"

On Sun, Jun 06, 2010 at 06:18:56PM +0200, Matthieu Moy wrote:

$ git clone git://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/git/git.git
$ cd git
$ git checkout next
error: pathspec 'next' did not match any file(s) known to git.
To create a local branch from the same named remote branch, use
  git checkout -b next origin/next

The newbie does not immediately understand the difference between
local and remote branches, he's been told about the branch "next", and
wants to check it out.

That is exactly my point. Trying to read the user's mind is not a
solution to this problem. The user does not even know what they are
doing and will inevitably end up even more confused.

The suggestion above would be perfect. It is an easy and obvious
solution, and the user is even educated about their mistake.