Subject: Re: `git checkout --orpan` leaves a dirty worktree

From: Jonathan Nieder <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 8 Feb 2013 12:04:02 -0800

Ramkumar Ramachandra wrote:

> Why should I have to `git rm -rf .` after a `git checkout --orphan`?
> What sort of misfeature/ incomplete feature is this?

One designed for the "going open source" use case, where you have
existing code that you want to put into a new branch without history.
When there is no existing code, it seems simpler to do

	cd ..
	git init code-that-has-nothing-to-do-previous-cwd
	cd code-that-*
	... hack hack hack ...
	git commit
	git remote add origin <url>
	git push -u origin master

BTW, I suspect a clearer way to say what you meant is "Sounds like a
misfeature" which is gentler and more focused than an implied "What
kind of idiot designed this?"  Even if you are thinking the latter. :)

Hope that helps,
Jonathan