[Python-Dev] PEP: Migrating the Python CVS to Subversion

[Fredrik Lundh]

Nicholas Bastin wrote:

> It's a mature product.  I would hope that that would count for
> something.  I've had enough corrupted subversion repositories that I'm
> not crazy about the thought of using it in a production system.  I
> know I'm not the only person with this experience.

compared to Perforce, SVN is extremely fragile.  I've used both for
years, and I've never had Perforce repository break down on me.  our
SVN repositories are relatively stable these days, but the clients are
still buggy as hell (mostly along the "I don't feel like doing this today,
despite the fact that it worked yesterday, and I don't feel like telling
you what's wrong either" lines.  having to nuke workspaces from time
to time gets boring, quickly.)

in contrast, Perforce just runs and runs and runs.  the clients always
do what you tell them.  and server maintenance is trivial; just make sure
that the server starts when the host computer boots, and if you have
enough disk, just leave it running.  if you're tight on disk space, trim
away some log files now and then.  that's it.

but despite this, if all you need is a better CVS, I'd say SVN is good
enough for today's python-dev.

I'd still think that a more distributed, mail-driven system (built on
top of Mercurial, Bazaar-NG, or some such (*)) would speed up
both development and patch processing, and also make it a lot easier
for "casual contributors" and "drive-by developers" to help develop
Python, but that's another story.

</F>

*) being able to ship a fully working Python-powered SCM with the
Python source code would be an extra coolness bonus, of course.