Re: Cleaning up git user-interface warts

Andy Parkins [off-list ref] writes:

quoted

But trying to rename "pull" (or the "git" name itself) is just going to
cause more confusion than you fix.

I don't think so.  Mainly because the proposed new git pull would be a subset 
of the existing git pull.  It's not changing function, it's just reducing in 
function.

We usually use the word "regression" to refer to that kind of
change.

I think it makes a lot of sense having command x that does
essentially the same thing as the current fetch but with more
usability enhancements and more convention as built-in defaults,
and another command y that does what the current 'pull .' does
but with more usability enhancements and more convention as
built-in defaults.  I agree that kind of UI improvements would
make it easier to explain to new people.  Calling x "pull",
however, breaks the existing users and documents, and causes
confusion.  I really do not think you can argue with that.

That's why we are talking about using an uncontaminated word
"get".  I think it is a good effort.

quoted

aren't that complicated. There's no reason to rename them. We do have
other problems:

That there are other problems doesn't negate these problems.

And I think Linus is right in pointing out that there are other
problems that are equally or even more pressing than _renaming_
to break things for existing users.

I personally do not think the current fetch/pull confusing, and
I do see real downside in _renaming_ them, but I am open to the
current get/put discussion because I think the new commands'
semantics may be designed to match newcomers' expectation better
(it's to match tools to newcomers instead of teaching them the
new language of the land) and I do not think that approach would
break existing users and documents.

For some things "matching tools to newcomers" would not really
work, though.  For example, I do not think you can get away with
hiding index forever if you want your users to do real work in a
workflow that involves merging and cherry picking.