Subject: Re: [PATCH 2/2] fast-import: introduce "feature notes" command

From: Thomas Rast <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 2 Feb 2011 20:47:54 +0100

Jonathan Nieder wrote:
> 
> Support for importing notes was added to git fast-import quite a while
> ago (v1.6.6-rc0~21^2~8, 2009-10-09), before the 'feature' facility was
> introduced (v1.7.0-rc0~95^2~4, fast-import: add feature command,
> 2009-12-04) so for compatibility with older git versions, authors
> of existing frontends should not start using the "feature notes"
> command.  Most git versions in wide use support notemodify already.
> 
> The purpose of the "feature notes" declaration is instead to
> distinguish between git and fast-import backends that do not support
> notemodify.  In git "feature notes" will be a no-op while in other
> current fast-import backends it will error out with a clear error
> message.

So in summary, don't use "feature notes" because it would fail with
old gits, but do use "feature notes" because it will fail for non-git?

Isn't that a bit backwards?  I mean, a tool author would either just
use it and say "if it doesn't read this, upgrade your git" or run

  echo feature notes | scm fast-import

to test, and use notes depending on success.  In both cases old gits
will be regarded as incompatible.  Or am I missing something?

-- 
Thomas Rast
trast@{inf,student}.ethz.ch