Re: [RFC PATCH] Introduce "precious" file concept

> On 11/13/18 1:22 AM, brian m. carlson wrote:
>> This is going to totally hose automation.  My last job had files which
>> might move from tracked to untracked (a file that had become generated),
>> and long-running CI and build systems would need to be able to check out
>> one status and switch to the other.  Your proposed change will prevent
>> those systems from working, whereas they previously did.
>>
>> I agree that your proposal would have been a better design originally,
>> but breaking the way automated systems currently work is probably going
>> to be a dealbreaker.
>
> How about something like this:
>
> 1. Introduce a concept with "garbage" files, which git is "permitted to
> delete" without prompting.
>
> 2. Retain the current default, i.e. "ignored files are garbage" for now,
> making the new behavior _opt in_ to avoid breaking automated
> systems/existing scripts for anyone. Put the setting for this behind a
> new core.* config flag.
>
> 3. In the plan for version 3.0 (a new major version where some breakage
> can be tolerable, according to Semantic Versioning), change the default
> so that "only explicit garbage is garbage". Include very clear notices
> of this in the release notes. The config flag is retained, but its
> default changes from true->false or vice versa. People who dislike the
> new behavior can easily change back to the 2.x semantics.
>
> Would this be a reasonable compromise for everybody?