Brief article on benchmarks of Python repository with leading DVCSen

[Barry Warsaw]

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On Feb 13, 2009, at 3:30 AM, Paul Moore wrote:

> No, it doesn't make a difference to me because my only interface to
> the core repository is via submitting patches. I can merge or use
> branches as much as I like for myself, but I *have* to submit a patch
> at the end of the day because I am not a core committer.

In my ideal world, no one would ever submit a patch.  Patches are dead  
things.  Much better would be to request a review and/or merge of a  
branch.  A branch is a living thing.  You can update a branch much  
more easily when you notice a typo or your reviewer gives you  
comments,  You can update a branch when trunk changes render moot some  
of your branch's changes.

It might seem like just semantics, but it's a profound difference.   
I've been trying to push Mailman developers to use branches instead of  
patches, but the patch mentality is deeply ingrained and long held,  
mostly because we've never had anything better.  Now we do and we  
should use it!

> Having said that, Stephen pointed out (correctly) that this ignores
> the fact that the PEP explicitly restricts itself to mirroring current
> workflow (showing what HAS to change, rather than what CAN change).
> With a DVCS at the core, there are other options for non-core
> committers (for example, submission of Bazaar merge directives rather
> than patches). But these are optional - so if the ability to submit
> merge directives (for example) isn't enough to make me want to use
> Bazaar rather than Mercurial, I can stick with patches.

I don't know if Mercurial has the equivalent of merge directives, but  
I have used tools like 'bzr send', merge proposals, and review of  
branches for a long while now.  IMO, these are fundamental and  
profound improvements to the software development workflow.

Barry

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