[darcs-users] should 'changes' be renamed 'log'? (was: Re: SchwernLikesDarcs SchwernHatesDarcs)

Gerhard Siegesmund jerri at jerri.de
Sun Mar 20 10:40:14 UTC 2005


Hello Schwern

> Looking through the list for the command I want, that's only useful if
> I'm thinking the same way you are.  As mentioned with "change" vs "log"
> I've been trained to look for "log" from CVS/SVN usage thus it took me a
> while to notice the "changes" command is what I want.

I too am coming from cvs and have worked with cvs for a long time now.
There was a small problem at the beginning with the commands available
for darcs. But after finding that list of command comparisons between
darcs and cvs everything went straight ahead.

On of the points against using the same command-set in cvs and darcs is
the both programs use different paradigms to manage their repositories.
So in using the same command-sets you would give the users the wrong
feeling that both programs work the same way. After learning (the very
simple!) basics for darcs everythings feels where intuitive in darcs.

> A command alias is such a simple concept I can't even consider it to be
> a violation of KISS.  In fact simplicity, from the user standpoint, would 
> state "don't make me learn a whole new command set if I don't have to".

Command aliases are the path to the dark side. Take a look at tla
(arch) and you will shortly see the problem. In my opinion calling the
same function with different names makes the interaction between the
people of a community very hard. You have to learn both command sets to
really give an answer, if a problem arises.

btw: Some of the commands in cvs are not really logical or helpful.
darcs changes does exactly what you want to get. All of the changes in
a repository. Using cvs you have to install special software to get
changelogs (like cvs2cl). Neither cvs history nor cvs log gives you the same
information. So why name darcs changes that way? It wouldn't be helpful
at all for a newby.

Please consider me also a newby with darcs. I now have about two or
three small projects in darcs repositories. And there weren't any
problems in the conversion from cvs. darcs is really simple to use.
Compare this to tla and you will see a real complicated and unusable (in
my opinion) version control system (especially with the dozens of
aliases and commands and work flows to use...). :)

-- 
cu
  --== Jerri ==--
Homepage: http://www.jerri.de/   ICQ: 54160208
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