Hi all!

I am not getting into this discussion - been there before, done that. ;)
But I just have to note a few things:

Daniel Vainsencher <daniel.vainsencher at gmail.com> wrote:
> Sounds to me like you're using a too restrictive version management 
> system. If you were using MC (which of course is not actually applicable 
[SNIP]
> So you need a distributed CVS. Arch? darcs? heck, maybe even SVN can 
> handle this, I don't know. Anyway, just an idea.

When we moved from CVS to Svn I suggested Darcs (after having looked around), but got voted down by
the port maintainers - and of course it is their decision because it is they who use it.

Since then I have used Darcs quite a bit and wow, it rocks (as in ease of use, functionality etc). Slate uses Darcs too btw.

I also argued for the trunk to be the latest stable - I even think we
agreed to that at some point in time (memory may be failing) - at least
I recall Ian describing such a model. And then typically use
tags for releases - just like people normally do with CVS etc. Not
sure what a tar-ball gives us that a tag can't, but again - I am not butting in. :)

Anyway, one idea I have been toying with is to run a Darcs gateway for
the main Squeak SVN. I set one up for fun and personal experimentation a while ago - and the
tools to make such a gateway have since then improved (tailor.py I believe it is called).

If anyone is interested in using such a gateway - we could cooperate. Ideally people experimenting with patches etc could then use darcs between ourselves - and then whenever stuff gets good enough we can send the patches to the port maintainers. This way perhaps we could have it "both ways" - both a central repo that is run according to the well established routine of the port maintainers - and a more loosely run network of darcs repos with more experimental changes/additions.

If you haven't looked at Darcs then I really urge you to take a look - after having used it you will never want to use CVS or Svn again. It is much easier to use (!), has a wonderfully natural model turning branches into something simple and use-it-all-the-time-no-problem-like, superb features and the merge capabilities are almost magical.

The great advantage of using Darcs in this case is because its work model allows cherry picking - which is quite extraordinary.

regards, Göran