Re: [Gnu-arch-users] Re: UI change proposal: *-tag -> *->id

[Zack Brown]

On Fri, Sep 19, 2003 at 04:07:12PM +0900, Miles Bader wrote:
> Pau Aliagas <address@hidden> writes:
> > > In line with the previous discussion, I'd like to following Robert
> > > Anderson's suggestion and change all the various *-tag commands to be
> > > *-id (the idea being that the term -tag is easily confused with
> > > branch-tagging, which seems to be the more widespread use of the term in
> > > this context):
> > 
> > Wouldn't it be easier to change tag to branch-tag or version-tag?
> 
> Tag is a widely used term in general with regard to source-control, with
> the meaning that the tla `tag' command uses (at the least, it's what CVS
> uses, and CVS is the big influence on the block).

In this case I think deviating from CVS is probably better. CVS never
got branching right, and that's one of the things tla is really good at.
At the same time, "tagging" a file to have a particular string at the
end makes perfect sense. "tagging" a category to a new archive is much
less intuitive.

Using 'tag' to refer to file tagging makes it easy to say, "I tagged
file foo." With your 'id' suggestion, what would they say? "I added an
id to file foo." It's much clunkier, but it would have to be said a lot.

'tagging' a branch has no intuitive meaning at all, on the other hand.
There's nothing about it that means what it says, you just have to know.
There are tons of alternatives that would mean what you want, much
better than 'tag'. For instance, 'link', 'copy', 'fork', and 'split'.
Those may not be perfect, but at least they are in the ballpark. You can
look at them and have some idea of what they mean.

Personally I prefer "tagging" a file with a string, over "tagging" a
branch from one place to another. The one makes sense, the other
doesn't.

Be well,
Zack

> 
> -Miles
> -- 
> We are all lying in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.
> -Oscar Wilde
> 
> 
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-- 
Zack Brown