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Re: [RFC v2] Git User's Survey 2008

From
Jakub Narebski <jnareb@gmail.com>
Date
Aug 21, 2008, 01:30 UTC
Message-ID
<200808210330.44908.jnareb@gmail.com>
In-Reply-To
<7v4p5fqw91.fsf@gitster.siamese.dyndns.org>
On Wed, 20 Aug 2008, Junio C Hamano wrote:
Show 6 quoted lines
> Jakub Narebski <jnareb@gmail.com> writes:
> 
> > This is second revision (version) of proposed questions 
> > for Git User's Survey 2008.
> 
> Very nicely done.
Thanks
Show 15 quoted lines
> > Getting started with GIT
> >
> >    xx. How did you hear about Git?
> >        (single choice?, in 2007 it was free-form)
> >      - Linux kernel news (LKML, LWN, KernelTrap, KernelTraffic,...),
> >        news site or magazine, blog entry, some project uses it,
> >        presentation or seminar (real life, not on-line), SCM research,
> >        IRC, mailing list, told by friend, word of mouth (off-line),
> >        other Internet, must be used at job, other off-line, other(*)
> >      + the problem is with having not very long list (not too many
> >        choices), but spanning all possibilities.
> >      + is this question interesting/important to have in survey?
> 
> I'd say this is more interesting than "what programming language do
> you speak".
Perhaps.

I've had some trouble with coming with a list of answers, because I wanted to have as few free-form questions as possible.

Show 8 quoted lines
> >    xx. Which Git version(s) are you using?
> >        (zero or more, multiple choice:
> >         one can use different versions on different machines)
> >      - pre 1.3, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.6, master, next
> >      + might be important when checking "what did you find hardest" etc.
> 
> This is a very good idea.  "What is hardest" grouped by "How proficient
> are you with git".

Errr... I didn't add "How proficient are you with git?" question to Git User's Survey 2008, but I think I would.

Show 7 quoted lines
> > Other SCMs (shortened compared with 2007 survey)
> >
> >    xx. What other SCM did or do you use?
> >      ! (zero or more: multiple choice)
> >        (matrix with the following columns: never/used it/still use)
> 
> "Plan to use"?
Hmmm...
Show 7 quoted lines
> >      - SCCS, RCS, CVS, Subversion, Arch or clone (ArX, tla, ...),
> >        Bazaar-NG, Darcs, Mercurial, Monotone, SVK, AccuRev, Perforce,
> >        BitKeeper, ClearCase, MS Visual Source Safe, MS Visual Studio
> >        Team System, PVCS, custom, other (please specify)
> 
> With this number of "other systems", it is easier to pick if they are
> sorted alphabetically.

There is some order to this... and as there is, as far as I can see, easy way to reorder _answers_ in a question on Survs (as opposed to reordering questions), I think I would keep it in current (dis)order.

> > How you use Git
> >
> >    xx. Which (main) git web interface do you use for your projects?
It is currently on Survs
  xx. Which git web interface do you use for your projects/have installed?
      (Web interfaces used by git hosting sites do not count)
Show 6 quoted lines
> >        (zero or more: multiple choice)
> >      - gitweb, cgit, wit (Ruby), git-php, viewgit (PHP), Gitorious,
> >        other (please specify)
> 
> You have reworded this question on the site but it has typo "Unless of
> cours you are hosting..." (s/cours y/course y/).
Thanks, corrected.
Show 7 quoted lines
> >    xx. How do you publish/propagate your changes?
> >        (zero or more: multiple choice)
> >      - push, pull request, format-patch + email, bundle,
> >        git-svn, foreign SCM (not via git-svn),
> >        other (see also below)
> 
> cvsexportcommit?

This I think fits in "foreign SCM"; well, git-svn is also "foreign SCM", but as it seems most popular I kept it separate.

Show 8 quoted lines
> >    xx. If the way you publish your changes is not mentioned above, how
> >        do you publish your changes?  Please explain.
> >        (free form, either input field or textarea)
> >    xx. How often do you use the following forms of git commands or extra
> >        git tools?
> >        (matrix form: never/rare/often)
> 
> "never, rarely, *sometimes*, often"?

My idea was to have minimal number of possible choices, to make it easier on the responder to select appropriate answer. 'Never' is I think obvious, 'often' was to meant that it is incorporated in one's workflow, and 'rare' is in between. Nevertheless I guess that having four columns doesn't make it that much harder.

Changed.
Show 7 quoted lines
> >         . git add -i / -p
> > 	    . git add -u
> >         . git am
> >         . git am -i
> > 	    . git apply
> 
> "apply --whitespace=fix"?
Done.
> > 	    . git cvsserver
> 
> "git daemon" and "git daemon (pushing enabled)" as separate items.
Done.
> > 	. git ... --dirstat
> 
> "diff --check"?

Hmmm... does anybody have it as part of his/her workflow? What I mean is to ask if there is anybody for whom the answer would be 'often'.

Currently not added, but it can be.
> >     . git pull
> 
> "pull --rebase"?
Good catch. Added.
Show 6 quoted lines
> > 	. git pull <remote>
> > 	. git pull <URL> <ref>
> >     . git push
> 
> Separate "(empty) vs <remote> vs <URL> <refspec>" entries for "git push"?
> Also for "git fetch"?

I'm not sure if distinguish between "git pull" and "git pull <remote>", and I'd rather limit number of possible responses. Note that "git pull <URL> <ref>" works *differently*, as it doesn't use remote-tracking branch.

> > 	. git stash
> 
> "git stash pop"?
> "git stash save --keep-index"?
Added the second one.  Good catch, thanks.
 
> >      + in what order should be those commands; currently they are in
> >        alphabetical order?
> 
> That is the most sensible.

I was thinking about dividing them line on git(1) manpage; this would be useful in dealing with 50-replies limit on Survs (it would be nice to have it explicitly mentioned somewhere), which made it a bit harder to add new suggestions.

Show 8 quoted lines
> >    xx. Which of the following features do you use?
> >        (zero or more: multiple choice)
> >      - git-gui or other commit tool, gitk or other history viewer, patch
> >        management interface (e.g. StGIT), bundle, eol conversion (crlf),
> >        gitattributes, submodules, separate worktree, reflog, stash,
> 
> If you single out "eol conversion", perhaps separate "whitespace
> attributes" out of generic "gitattributes"?
eol conversion is not only attributes, but also two config variables
(core.autocrlf and core.safecrlf).
 
> s/separate worktree/& (git-new-workdir)/;
Or core.worktree.
Show 8 quoted lines
> > Documentation
> >
> >    xx. What could be improved on the Git homepage?
> >        (free form)
> >    xx. What could be improved in Git documentation?
> >        (free form)
> 
> "What can/will you do to help improve them?"?
Good idea.  I have added this, separately for each question...
...but now I'm not sure if not remove it.
Show 11 quoted lines
> > Translating Git
> >
> >    xx. What is your preferred non-programming language?
> >   (or) What is the language you want computer communicate with you?
> >    xx. What do you need/want to have translated?
> >        (zero or more, multiple choice)
> >      - commands messages, manpages, manual & tutorial etc.,
> >        technical documentation, HOWTOs, git homepage, git wiki,
> >        git-gui/gitk, subcommands and long option names
> 
> LOL on the last one ;-)  Please keep it --- we may find amusing results.
Yeah, that was me making with the funny. "git Eintragen", anyone?
Show 10 quoted lines
> > Getting help, staying in touch
> >
> >    xx. Have you tried to get Git help from other people?
> >     -  yes/no
> >    xx. What channel did you use to request help?
> >        (zero or more: multiple choice)
> >     -  git mailing list, git users group, IRC, blog post, 
> >        asking git guru/colleague, other
> 
> You have "IRC (#git)".  Perhaps a separate item "IRC (#github)"?

Good catch. If we are separating git mailing list and user's group (Google Group) it would be nice to distinguish IRC channels.

Added.
Show 9 quoted lines
> > Open forum
> >
> >    xx. What other comments or suggestions do you have that are not
> >        covered by the questions above?
> >        (free form)
> >    xx. Should such a survey be repeated next year?
> >     -  yes/no/no opinion
> 
> "Such a", meaning "This"?
Yes.  Now it reads:
  58. Should Git User's Survey be repeated next year?
-- 
Jakub Narebski
Poland
Previous: Junio C HamanoNext: Junio C Hamano
Message 73 of 93 in “[RFC] Git User's Survey 2008”
  1. Jakub NarebskiJul 23, 2008
  2. Junio C HamanoJul 23, 2008
  3. HP-UX issues (WAS: Re: [RFC] Git User's Survey 2008)Miklos Vajna, Jul 23, 2008
  4. Jakub NarebskiJul 23, 2008
  5. Miklos VajnaJul 23, 2008
  6. Jakub NarebskiJul 23, 2008
  7. Marek ZawirskiJul 24, 2008
  8. Mailing lists, was Re: [RFC] Git User's Survey 2008Johannes Schindelin, Jul 24, 2008
  9. Shawn O. PearceJul 25, 2008
  10. Junio C HamanoJul 25, 2008
  11. Jakub NarebskiJul 25, 2008
  12. Shawn O. PearceJul 25, 2008
  13. Junio C HamanoJul 25, 2008
  14. Shawn O. PearceJul 25, 2008
  15. Jakub NarebskiJul 26, 2008
  16. Marek ZawirskiJul 26, 2008
  17. Shawn O. PearceJul 26, 2008
  18. Jean-François VeilletteJul 26, 2008
  19. Petr BaudisJul 25, 2008
  20. Jing XueJul 26, 2008
  21. Jakub NarebskiJul 26, 2008
  22. Shawn O. PearceJul 26, 2008
  23. Jakub NarebskiJul 26, 2008
  24. Johannes SchindelinJul 26, 2008
  25. Scott ChaconJul 26, 2008
  26. Jakub NarebskiJul 24, 2008
  27. Johannes SchindelinJul 23, 2008
  28. Jakub NarebskiJul 23, 2008
  29. Johannes SchindelinJul 23, 2008
  30. Robin RosenbergJul 23, 2008
  31. Johannes SchindelinJul 23, 2008
  32. Jakub NarebskiJul 24, 2008
  33. Jakub NarebskiJul 23, 2008
  34. Johannes SchindelinJul 23, 2008
  35. Stephan BeyerJul 23, 2008
  36. david@lang.hmJul 24, 2008
  37. Stephan BeyerJul 24, 2008
  38. david@lang.hmJul 24, 2008
  39. Jakub NarebskiJul 24, 2008
  40. Jakub NarebskiJul 26, 2008
  41. Nguyen Thai Ngoc DuyJul 27, 2008
  42. Junio C HamanoJul 23, 2008
  43. Jakub NarebskiJul 24, 2008
  44. Dmitry PotapovJul 23, 2008
  45. Johannes SchindelinJul 23, 2008
  46. Stephan BeyerJul 23, 2008
  47. Jakub NarebskiJul 24, 2008
  48. Alex RiesenJul 23, 2008
  49. Jakub NarebskiJul 24, 2008
  50. Stephan BeyerJul 23, 2008
  51. Stephan BeyerJul 24, 2008
  52. Dmitry PotapovJul 23, 2008
  53. Matthias KestenholzJul 23, 2008
  54. Dmitry PotapovJul 23, 2008
  55. Jakub NarebskiJul 23, 2008
  56. Dmitry PotapovJul 24, 2008
  57. Jakub NarebskiJul 24, 2008
  58. Petr BaudisJul 23, 2008
  59. Jakub NarebskiJul 23, 2008
  60. Jon LoeligerJul 24, 2008
  61. Jakub NarebskiJul 24, 2008
  62. Lachele Foley (Lists)Jul 24, 2008
  63. Jakub NarebskiJul 24, 2008
  64. Dmitry PotapovJul 24, 2008
  65. Jakub NarebskiJul 24, 2008
  66. Jakub NarebskiJul 31, 2008
  67. [RFC v2] Git User's Survey 2008Jakub Narebski, Aug 20, 2008
  68. Alex RiesenAug 20, 2008
  69. Petr BaudisAug 20, 2008
  70. Jakub NarebskiAug 20, 2008
  71. Alex RiesenAug 20, 2008
  72. Junio C HamanoAug 20, 2008
  73. Jakub NarebskiAug 21, 2008
  74. Junio C HamanoAug 21, 2008
  75. Jakub NarebskiAug 21, 2008
  76. Stephan BeyerAug 20, 2008
  77. Stephan BeyerAug 20, 2008
  78. Jakub NarebskiAug 21, 2008
  79. Stephan BeyerAug 21, 2008
  80. Jakub NarebskiAug 22, 2008
  81. Mike GantAug 21, 2008
  82. Stephan BeyerAug 24, 2008
  83. Jakub NarebskiAug 25, 2008
  84. Abhijit BhopatkarAug 20, 2008
  85. [RFC v3] Git User's Survey 2008Jakub Narebski, Aug 25, 2008
  86. Stephan BeyerAug 28, 2008
  87. [RFC v4] Git User's Survey 2008 (cover letters)Jakub Narebski, Aug 30, 2008
  88. Garry DolleyAug 30, 2008
  89. Paolo CiarrocchiSep 1, 2008
  90. Miguel ArrozJul 23, 2008
  91. Jakub NarebskiJul 23, 2008
  92. Sverre RabbelierJul 24, 2008
  93. Jakub NarebskiAug 25, 2008

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