github? [Re: [Agda] Agda development]

[Andreas Abel]

Nicolas, Jan,

I think you have a point here.  Thanks for the pointer to the migration 
script.  It does not seem perfect, but it might do for the old issues 
(one can still leave the Google code issues open read-only).

Personally, I am ok with trying git instead of darcs, if this is what is 
blocking more people to contribute.  I am familiar with darcs now and 
not so familiar with git (which has a bit more low-level feel), but this 
can change.  Of course, if the main developer can learn another vc, so 
could the contributors...

I guess one of the main arguments to switch to git is github.com, which 
is social and encourages contribution.  It gives more the feel of a 
community and less of a hierarchy.  Also, people say that keeping forks 
and merging conflicts is easier with git than darcs.

But keep in mind that the biggest hurdle to contribution will not vanish 
by a move to git:  The complexity of the Agda implementation itself...

Cheers,
Andreas

On 01.12.2013 11:43, Nicolas Pouillard wrote:
> Quoting Jan Stolarek (2013-12-01 10:54:51)
>> I have some thought about Agda development that I'd like to share with developers, hoping it will
>> help make things better (in my understanding of word "better").
>>
>> Agda development *seems* to be a closed process, without much possibility for community members to
>> contribute. I'd like to stress that is *seems" so, not necesarily that it *is* so. Note that:
>> 1. Issues are stored on google code, but the code repo is not. There are instructions how to get
>> source code from svn, but the repo is actually empty.
>> 2. Code is stored in Darcs. IMO this is a blocker for most people willing to contribute, as few
>> people know Darcs.
>> 3. Surprisingly, there is Agda Community group on github (https://github.com/agda) but it doesn't
>> contain code of Agda, only some libraries.
>>
>> In my opinion the lack of centralised development webpage and using Darcs for source control keeps
>> people from contributing. Given the above I'd like to propose migrating from current Google Code
>> issue tracking and Darcs repositories to github. Many people use github for their open source
>> projects on a daily basis and if they had Agda source code at hand on github they could simpy
>> contribute without additional overhead of learning Darcs and using different platform (google
>> code) for tracking issues.
>>
>> Also, I found a script that should allow to migrate current issues from Google Code to Github:
>> https://github.com/arthur-debert/google-code-issues-migrator
>
> I share your thoughts. I am also supportive of a migration towards
> github.
>
> To my understanding the main roadblock is that this will cause some
> burden to the current developers who are not yet accustomed to git. I
> hope they will realize that this is a minor initial burden for a big
> upcoming benefit for themselves (a bit like learning to ride a bike)
> and for the community.
>
> I've raised this issue in the past and even maintained a git version of
> the darcs repo for a while. I think we need to propose a constructive
> plan including the effort of actually migrating the repo and issue
> tracker.
>
> Best regards,
> -- Nicolas
>
>
>
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