From: Johannes Schindelin Date: Sun, 20 Nov 2005 23:46:50 GMT Subject: Re: [RFC] Applying a graft to a tree and "rippling" the changes through Message-ID: In-Reply-To: <20051120223249.GI3393@nowhere.earth> Hi, On Sun, 20 Nov 2005, Yann Dirson wrote: > On Sun, Nov 20, 2005 at 02:24:53AM +0100, Johannes Schindelin wrote: > > > > ORIG1 .. ORIG2 .. .. ORIG_HEAD > > | > > | GIT1 .. GIT2 .. .. GIT_HEAD > > | / / > > | / / > > UNIFYING_MERGE / > > \ / > > \ / > > NEW_HEAD_FOR_ARCHEOLOGICAL_PURPOSES > > > Note: it's not only about research (ie. something that would be static > for browsing only), it's also about using the results of the research > in further developement. Then you could base your future development on NEW_HEAD_FOR_ARCHEOLOGICAL_PURPOSES. > Well, no doubt this approach can be used in many cases. But it makes > IMHO the history somewhat confusing, and has limitations. Let's say I > had a patch against ORIG2, and at a later date I find a successor for > it, based on GIT2. I would not have an incarnation of GIT2 with ORIG2 > as ancestor: to be on the safe side I would have had to duplicate the > whole GIT1..* history. You could still branch from GIT2, cherry picking from the patch to ORIG2, and then committing the successor based on GIT2, thus reinstating the hypothetical history. Note: the history may be confusing, but ask any history teacher: history *is* confusing! It is all about people. If you want to make it less confusing, I am afraid you have to leave the path of true history. > And after I have done some work on my branch of duplicate commits, if > I used the type of unifying merges you suggest, I'm stuck forever with > the old GIT1..GIT_HEAD line, whether I need it or not (if it comes > from import of 2.4 patches, and thus has no signed tags whatsoever, I > do not need it any more). But the GIT1..GIT_HEAD line was actually the correct history! Remember: He who forgets his past is doomed to repeat his mistakes! Don't pretend that the past was different than it was. It's not worth the hassle. Ciao, Dscho