So many repo formats

[Ben Finney]

"Mark Hammond" <mhammond at skippinet.com.au> writes:

> I'd recommend adding a version of the following 2 items to the FAQ:
> 
> Q: Bazaar seems to have many different repository formats - how do I
> know which one to choose? […]
> 
> Q: Why does Bazaar have so many formats compared to other DVCSs? […]

I think a much better recommendation is to obviate the need for these
questions to be answered. That is, to obviate the need for the user to
choose a repository format, just like users don't need to choose a
merging algorithm.

The above questions only arise because we're in the odd situation
currently that the *default* format doesn't enable many common use
cases, and repository format issues get in the user's face whether
they wanted to deal with them or not. It's a leaky abstraction, to use
Joel Spolsky's terminology.

If the default format operated transparently, like the default merging
algorithm, the user wouldn't need to be aware of other options unless
they choose to investigate.

-- 
 \            “Human reason is snatching everything to itself, leaving |
  `\                     nothing for faith.” —Saint Bernard, 1090–1153 |
_o__)                                                                  |
Ben Finney