Re: Removing rollback from VC mode - request for comment

[Eric S. Raymond]

Steinar Bang <address@hidden>:
> > You could allow git rollback for branches that are only local (ie. not a
> > tracking branch for a remote).
> 
> Or maybe better: disallow rollback if the current branch is a tracking
> branch, that is up to date with the remote branch it is tracking.

I could.  But step back from those details for a moment and consider
the larger picture.

The VC Git support is now about ten years old.  In all that time, the
fact that Ctrl-x v c is not bound to git reset seems never to have
been reported as a bug or wishlist item.  This suggests to me that
there is little or no demand for the feature.

Furthermore (and this is new information, I didn't know it when I
wrote the RFC) the Texinfo documentation contains this comment:

@c `C-x v c' (vc-rollback) was removed, since it's RCS/SCCS specific.

Looks like somebody else noticed this feature was a vermiform appendix.

I probably wouldn't be gunning for rollback if it weren't a history eraser.
But the fact that it is one means that leaving it in will have a cost
measured in the number of users who shoot self in foot.

Given that, I don't think "we *could* support it in Git" is adequate in
the absence of user demand for it.  Anyone can correct me on this by
showing evidence of such demand.  Google searches didn't turn up any. 

Mind not made up yet.  But leaning more towards deleting, now.  Willing
to listen to a more spirited defense.
-- 
                <a href="http://www.catb.org/~esr/";>Eric S. Raymond</a>