[development] FAQ: Why is Drupal still using CVS when X is a much better choice?

[Ivan Sergio Borgonovo]

On Fri, 1 Aug 2008 11:18:28 -0700
Derek Wright <drupal at dwwright.net> wrote:

> Once upon a time, in a post someone with time and motivation
> could surely find, Dries wrote something to the effect of:

> "I'd be happy to switch to something other than CVS _if all the  
> dependencies on CVS are safely removed and addressed_".

> (approximate quote from memory).

> - The #1 dependency on CVS is project_release.module.
> - The #2 dependency on CVS is all the CVS account creation stuff.
> - The #3 dependency on CVS are the CVS commit log viewing pages,  
> links on project nodes, etc.
> - The best way to fix all of that is VersionControl API.
> - There are pages dedicated to what needs to happen to get us
> closer, already linked from Angie's wonderful document.

> If all that work is done, d.o is running VersionControl API with

Surfing in look for a bunch of howtos I noticed how many projects
switched from one rcs to another.
All kind and all sizes of projects...
And I wondered why drupal find so hard to switch. Then your mail came
to my mind: dependency.

Other projects "outsourced" the infrastructure for project
management, drupal build its own.
I was wondering what are the advantages of such approach.
Joomla have a much less tied one.
Plone is something in between Drupal and Joomla but still much
nearer to Joomla approach than drupal.

From my "use case" the only disadvantage I can see in a less tied
approach with contrib is security support. This as more to due with
the social/image aspect than the technical aspect.

Other projects seems just to provide a window for contrib. Drupal
seems to "patronize" contrib.

But that's not going to make contrib really better unless you think
you can force education on people.
Dev that never felt the need of a rcs and are forced to use one will
use it in a sloppy way with fewer advantages for the project than
added nuisances.

From _my_ point of view as a user and as a contrib I'd feel happy
with Joomla approach as well.
I don't see any reason to ask for a cvs account on drupal to develop
my modules. I have my project infrastructure and if I hadn't one I
could pick up one from the many offered, building up my preferred mix
of bug tracking system, rcs, documentation system, ...
I may be missing something... if so please tell me what could be the
advantage for contrib and users to use drupal infrastructure for
project management I don't get. Other than publicity what do I get
from drupal infrastructure?

Making it clear (to me and to everyone else) what are the advantages
of using drupal infrastructure for project management would surely
help.
People will use it more and better.
It would be easier to gather the forces to improve it.
It would make it clearer the scope of having a "project"
infrastructure and plan it for its real targets.

I don't think that core has so many tie with project_release.module
and cvs accounts.
I do think that core could take a great advantage if we could use a
DVCS.

-- 
Ivan Sergio Borgonovo
http://www.webthatworks.it