Re: [RFC (take 3)] Git User's Survey 2007

From: Shawn O. Pearce <spearce@spearce.org>
Date: Aug 4, 2007, 05:41 UTC
Message-ID: <20070804054157.GN20052@spearce.org>
In-Reply-To: <200708040250.55180.jnareb@gmail.com>

Jakub Narebski <jnareb@gmail.com> wrote:

> It's been more than a year since last Git User's Survey. It would be
> interesting to find what changed since then. Therefore the idea to
> have another survey.

This is actually a pretty good draft.  I'd say its about ready to
go.  A couple of minor comments:

Show 5 quoted lines

> How you use GIT
> 
>     1. Do you use GIT for work, unpaid projects, or both?
>        work/unpaid projects/both/none(*)
>        (*)I use git to interact with some project I'm interested in

I don't understand the (*) point here. What's the middle ground between work and unpaid projects? Paid projects that aren't work? Isn't that the definition of work? Very confused...

>     7. How many different projects do you manage using GIT?
>     8. Which porcelains do you use?
>        (zero or more: multiple choice)
>     -  core-git, cogito, StGIT, pg, guilt, other

I really hope nobody chooses pg. I haven't supported it in a very long time. Might be a good idea to keep it in this survey just to make sure its 0, then omit it from the next survey. :-)

> Changes in GIT (since year ago, or since you started using it)

...

Show 7 quoted lines

>     5. Which of the new features do you use?
>        (zero or more: multiple choice)
>     -  git-gui, bundle, eol conversion, gitattributes,
>        submodules, worktree, release notes, user's manual,
>        reflog, stash, shallow clone, detached HEAD, fast-import,
>        mergetool, interactive rebase, commit template, blame improvements,
>        other (not mentioned here)

Wow.

This community has accomplished a lot since the last survey. That list covers most of the major items over the past year, if not all of them. But I'd never really seen it all written out in such a concise list; there's so much blood, sweat and tears in those topics from everyone on (and off) this mailing list. Reading it now is bringing back a lot of memories for me.

Sorry, I just had a very emotional reaction to seeing how much we have managed to accomplish in so little time. Thank you to everyone who has made this list possible!

Show 7 quoted lines

> Getting help, staying in touch
> 
>     1. Have you tried to get GIT help from other people?
>     -  yes/no
>     2. If yes, did you get these problems resolved quickly
>        and to your liking?
>     -  yes/no

Possible new item:

  Would commerical (paid) support from a support vendor be of
  interest to you/your organization?

Just kicking the idea out there. Some of us have talked about this on and off from time to time, I wonder what our user community thinks of it. I think Sam Vilain was suggesting he sell Git support to my day-job company, so my coworkers could call him and ask him questions, and he could ask me those same questions on #git, then mail me a 6-pack of beer[*1*] for my troubles. :)

[*1*] And sadly I don't drink beer...

-- 
Shawn.