Re: src/sys/vfs

[Mindaugas Rasiukevicius <rmind%netbsd.org@localhost>]

David Laight <david%l8s.co.uk@localhost> wrote:
> > Please create a branch for this work.  Otherwise, it will be the same
> > as with quota changes which were practically unreviewable.  It might
> > also be worth to do some mechanical split and move of the related code
> > into a new directory first and then create a branch.  So the final diff
> > would contain some visible divergence, rather than huge - and + blocks.
> 
> Doing development on a branch create its own problems.
> 
> If the branch is long lived (or enyonw else is likely to change
> any of the affected files) then is is a continual merge problem.

The fact that we use tools which make this task a bit painful is a
separate problem of a tool.  But yes, continual merge is the price
one has to pay for the benefits of branch.  You can argue against
branches in general, but in NetBSD community we quite successfully
use them and I do see and have benefits from them.

> When the branch is finally merged the sequence of changes disappears
> from the main cvs changes sequence (yes, I know you can go and look
> at the branch changes, but they tend to be out of sequence).

Well, I am satisfied with the history in the branch.  Tools other than
CVS allow you to merge the histories.  But again, if you question the
use of branches (or tools) in general - this is a wrong thread.

> If changes are incrememntal (which this one probably is), then there
> is no real problem applying each change to cvs separately - the system
> should still build after each.

Heh.  It is a bit more than "it should still build".  For the case of
incremental changes, the branch is also a way to avoid an intermediate
state in the main tree.  It is undesirable to leave the main tree in
the transition if, for example, the developer runs out of time.  Even
worse if code is kept in such condition for a while and release is cut.

-- 
Mindaugas