[darcs-users] first usage impressions.

[Marek "Baczek" Baczyński]

On Sat, 4 Dec 2004 14:04:57 +0100, Thomas Zander
<tzander at factotummedia.nl> wrote:
> Hi,
> 
> I just downloaded darcs (stable) and started playing with it.
> My first impression is that some beginners mistakes on my side would
> have been avoided if darcs was a bit more chatty.  If it commented
> more on obvious pittfalls.

It is a Unix philosophy not to do so and there are actual reasons, too :)

> For instance; " darcs remove README" gave no reply, and I was wondering
> why the file still existed on the filesystem.  A friendly person on IRC
> pointed out that a 'rm README' would have implied the 'darcs remove'.
> I suggest to either print an error saying the file still exists, or
> print the current status. Something like:
>     "Removed foo from darcs,  future changes will not be recorded"
> naturally; this warning should not be printed if the file is already
> removed from the filesystem.

Imagine if rm told you that a file is not availible on the filesystem
anymore every time you deleted something. Not to mention all the noise
scripts - or 'be quiet' switches in scripts - would generate. (Yes, I
know rm is not a good example, but at least gives a feeling of 'why'.)

> While working on the above problem I also did a second remove.  I typed:
> "darcs remove README" a second time and was presented with an error:
> darcs failed:  Can't remove README
> This is understandable; but a nice "README is not added" or similar
> would help a LOT

If 'README is not added' was the only possible reason for such error,
it would make sense. OTOH, it wouldn't be necessary as you'd know it's
the only possible reason :)

> What do others think?  Would it be worthwile to make darcs provide
> a tad more text pointing the user in the right directions?

Generally a program should stay quiet when successful and make a lot
of noise when an error occurs. That's because people want to be
interrupted only when they should be. Also, a program should not make
uneducated guesses about its own failures.

<delurk mode=off>
-- 
{ Marek Baczyński :: UIN 57114871 :: GG 161671 :: JID imbaczek at jabber.gda.pl  }
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