Understanding pull

[Ian Clatworthy]

Hi,

Just trying to get my head around *exactly* what pull does. In 
particular, the FAQ states "often when you pull, your local branch 
becomes a clone of the other one.".

Why does it say "often when you pull"? When will it not be a clone?

To ask the question another way, how is pull different from deleting the 
directory and running branch again (other than speed and bandwidth)?

Ian C.