Re: using NTFS ADS, HFS+ ResourceForks or other file system metadata facility instead of a .svn directory

On 2/6/06, Julian Foad <julianfoad@btopenworld.com> wrote:
> Ruediger.Dohna@oxaion.de wrote:
> [...]
> > it lends itself as a natural place to store Subversion metadata as well,
> > rendering the .svn directory altogether dispensable, [...]
>
> This is an interesting idea. There are two levels at which we could use
> filesystem metadata storage:
>
> * just for storing the Subversion "properties" on an item;
>
> * for storing all Subversion meta-data that is currently in the ".svn"
> directory - pristine (base) copies, information about which
> repository/path/revision the local files are connected to, etc.
>
> You seem to be talking about the latter.
>
> Of course a fair bit of work would be required to do this, so it would need to
> have some distinct advantages.

[...]

> I can't yet see a compelling reason to use filesystem metadata storage.

I can think of at least one more reason not use the filesystem
metadata for Subversion - the files I am putting into the repository
have metadata for their own use. As such, modifying or adding
to this changes the file I have placed into the repository.

(Note - currently, Subversion does not actually deal with metadata
within files very well [ok - at all :-)] which is a whole different
problem and also non-trivial to fix in a cross-platform way)

There are other tricky issues that start to come up, but I would like
to not go down those rabbit holes now. I would much rather try
sticking to the goal of Subversion being a revision management
system and that the files are "sacred" and should not be corrupted
or changed due to the use of Subversion. (I should get back what
I put in) [Yes, I know that we don't do metadata or xattrs yet]

--
Michael Sinz               Technology and Engineering Director/Consultant
"Starting Startups"                          mailto:Michael.Sinz@sinz.org
My place on the web                      http://www.sinz.org/Michael.Sinz
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