[PATCH] everyday: fsck and gc are not everyday operations

[PATCH] everyday: fsck and gc are not everyday operations

[Anders Kaseorg]

Back in 2005 when this document was written, it may have made sense to 
introduce ‘git fsck’ (then ‘git fsck-objects’) as the very first example 
command for new users of Git 0.99.9.  Now that Git has been stable for 
years and does not actually tend to eat your data, it makes significantly 
less sense.  In fact, it sends an entirely wrong message.

‘git gc’ is also unnecessary for the purposes of this document, especially 
with gc.auto enabled by default.

The only other commands in the “Basic Repository” section were ‘git init’ 
and ‘git clone’.  ‘clone’ is already listed in the “Participant” section, 
so move ‘init’ to the “Standalone” section and get rid of “Basic 
Repository” entirely.

Signed-off-by: Anders Kaseorg <andersk@mit.edu>
---
 Documentation/everyday.txt |   51 +++----------------------------------------
 1 files changed, 4 insertions(+), 47 deletions(-)

diff --git a/Documentation/everyday.txt b/Documentation/everyday.txt
index 9310b65..e0ba8cc 100644
--- a/Documentation/everyday.txt
+++ b/Documentation/everyday.txt
@@ -1,13 +1,8 @@
 Everyday GIT With 20 Commands Or So
 ===================================
 
-<<Basic Repository>> commands are needed by people who have a
-repository --- that is everybody, because every working tree of
-git is a repository.
-
-In addition, <<Individual Developer (Standalone)>> commands are
-essential for anybody who makes a commit, even for somebody who
-works alone.
+<<Individual Developer (Standalone)>> commands are essential for
+anybody who makes a commit, even for somebody who works alone.
 
 If you work with other people, you will need commands listed in
 the <<Individual Developer (Participant)>> section as well.
@@ -20,46 +15,6 @@ administrators who are responsible for the care and feeding
 of git repositories.
 
 
-Basic Repository[[Basic Repository]]
-------------------------------------
-
-Everybody uses these commands to maintain git repositories.
-
-  * linkgit:git-init[1] or linkgit:git-clone[1] to create a
-    new repository.
-
-  * linkgit:git-fsck[1] to check the repository for errors.
-
-  * linkgit:git-gc[1] to do common housekeeping tasks such as
-    repack and prune.
-
-Examples
-~~~~~~~~
-
-Check health and remove cruft.::
-+
-------------
-$ git fsck <1>
-$ git count-objects <2>
-$ git gc <3>
-------------
-+
-<1> running without `\--full` is usually cheap and assures the
-repository health reasonably well.
-<2> check how many loose objects there are and how much
-disk space is wasted by not repacking.
-<3> repacks the local repository and performs other housekeeping tasks.
-
-Repack a small project into single pack.::
-+
-------------
-$ git gc <1>
-------------
-+
-<1> pack all the objects reachable from the refs into one pack,
-then remove the other packs.
-
-
 Individual Developer (Standalone)[[Individual Developer (Standalone)]]
 ----------------------------------------------------------------------
 
@@ -67,6 +22,8 @@ A standalone individual developer does not exchange patches with
 other people, and works alone in a single repository, using the
 following commands.
 
+  * linkgit:git-init[1] to create a new repository.
+
   * linkgit:git-show-branch[1] to see where you are.
 
   * linkgit:git-log[1] to see what happened.
-- 
1.6.5.1

Re: [PATCH] everyday: fsck and gc are not everyday operations

[Anders Kaseorg]

On Wed, 21 Oct 2009, Anders Kaseorg wrote:
> Back in 2005 when this document was written, it may have made sense to 
> introduce ‘git fsck’ (then ‘git fsck-objects’) as the very first example 
> command for new users of Git 0.99.9.  Now that Git has been stable for 
> years and does not actually tend to eat your data, it makes significantly 
> less sense.  In fact, it sends an entirely wrong message.
> 
> ‘git gc’ is also unnecessary for the purposes of this document, especially 
> with gc.auto enabled by default.
> 
> The only other commands in the “Basic Repository” section were ‘git init’ 
> and ‘git clone’.  ‘clone’ is already listed in the “Participant” section, 
> so move ‘init’ to the “Standalone” section and get rid of “Basic 
> Repository” entirely.
> 
> Signed-off-by: Anders Kaseorg <andersk@mit.edu>


This patch seems to have been forgotten.  Are there any opinions on it?  
I think it goes a long way toward making the “Everyday” document look less 
scary to Git newcomers.

Anders