[Numpy-discussion] DVCS at PyCon

[Gael Varoquaux]

On Sat, Apr 11, 2009 at 12:05:55PM +0900, David Cournapeau wrote:
> On Sat, Apr 11, 2009 at 11:53 AM, Eric Firing <efiring at hawaii.edu> wrote:
> No need to apologize, I think I used the work bashing inappropriately
> - I just wanted to say that the only way to understand the differences
> between the tools is to use them. Reading about them will only confuse
> you in my own experience. For example, I tried git once a long time
> ago (during an infamous discussion between git and bzr developers on
> the bzr M), could not understand a thing about it, and did not
> understand any point in it except speed. Then I was forced to use git
> because of bzr-svn constant frustrations - and I ended up to really
> like it.

> At last scipy conference, I tried to "sell" git advantages to Stefan
> (a long time bzr user as well), who was far from convinced from my
> explanations and my ranting. Then later he used it and liked it. Of
> course, the logical conclusion could be that I am just very bad at
> explaining why I like git :)

I am pretty convinced that git is an excellent tool, but it forces people
to invest a fare amount of time to learn it. I struggle quite a lot to
have people use _any_ VCS. I just whish they'd make a usability effort.
They could. There are a lot of low hanging fruits. But they don't care.
It is geeks programming for geeks, not for normal users, IMHO.

Just to make it clear: I could learn git. I wouldn't mind. I just don't
think raising the bar too high to new contributors is good. You have to
start somewhere, and the best way to get new contributors (new in
general, and not only new for scipy) is to make it easy for them.

My 2 cents,

Gaël