[MERGE] make 'push' default to parent branch

[Ben Finney]

Robert Collins <robertc at robertcollins.net> writes:

> I think most folk with no relevant experience will be contributing
> to an existing project (its much harder to start a new project than
> bugfix an existing one)

I think that's exactly backwards.

Most programming folk with little experience that I know of find it a
*much* lower barrier to begin their own work than to try joining an
existing project. With the latter, they must become familiar with the
existing ody of code, understand and conform to existing conventions
within the project, and learn procedures that have grown up around the
code base — all of which are very likely to be poorly documented for
newcomers. By starting from scratch, they avoid (for themselves) these
barriers to entry.

Starting from scratch is often a bad choice overall, but it's
nevertheless the path of least resistance for most programmers faced
with that choice, and so a very common one compared to joining an
existing project.

-- 
 \         “True greatness is measured by how much freedom you give to |
  `\      others, not by how much you can coerce others to do what you |
_o__)                                               want.” —Larry Wall |
Ben Finney