this post was submitted on 05 Nov 2023
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Linux
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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Linux is a family of open source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991 by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically packaged in a Linux distribution (or distro for short).
Distributions include the Linux kernel and supporting system software and libraries, many of which are provided by the GNU Project. Many Linux distributions use the word "Linux" in their name, but the Free Software Foundation uses the name GNU/Linux to emphasize the importance of GNU software, causing some controversy.
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Edit: my below comment was actually wrong. They actually do use git.
Thanks for sharing. What I find most interesting is that Linus is still using the same email-based software development methods for the kernel while the rest of the software engineering world has evolved to use his other invention, git, for that. I’m kind of second-hand embarrassed for those geniuses who have yet to adopt proper version control for (what I’d argue is) the most important project in the computing world.
Here’s a far more nuanced explanation from Spore’s reply to this comment :
What? Linux does use git for version control.
Is this article (and the many sources I see confirming it) inaccurate then?
https://www.theregister.com/AMP/2020/08/25/linux_kernel_email/
I’m happy to be wrong if you have any evidence to refute what I’ve written.
Ps. I’m talking about the kernel.
Git and Email are not mutually exclusive. In order to collaborate with git, you need and only need a way to send your commits to others. Commits can be formatted as plain-text files and sent through emails. That is how git has been used by its author from literally the first release of it.
Thanks for the insight. I’ll edit my comment to point to yours.
Could you explain? I'm still stuck with a mind-block, can't imagine how a git server can track changes to code with messages from email
A git server don't need to know email to work, and it is not required to have a git server. Email in this workflow is an alternative to a PR: contributor submit a set of commits to the maintainer (or anyone interested). Then the maintainer is free to apply or merge the commits. After that the code can be pushed to any servers.
Ah, you mean email being used as a direct alternative to issue reports? I get it now, and TBH this makes intuitive sense. Thanks