bfiles: Rethinking the .hgbfiles directory (WAS: Re: bfiles filename encoding)

[Chad Dombrova]

> I'd really like to know what alternative
> system could work on all platforms.

here's a long-shot idea:  use dulwich, the pure python git library, to manage an .hgbfiles directory (what would normally be .git), and place the lightweight mutable store data under hg version control and move the heavyweight immutable data (the actual blob objects) into the remote store via bfput.  it would garner a lot of derision from the git community, but we all know that this is what git excels at.  upsides: it's a proven model with a preexisting python api to do it, including ssh support. downsides: large dependency (dulwich), no standins to view in the log.  

disclaimer: i sort of know that this idea is crazy, and honestly, i'm not convinced of it myself, but i'm curious if anyone thinks it could actually work.

-chad