[PATCH] backout: provide linear backout as a default (without --merge option)

[Gilles Moris]

On Tuesday 12 October 2010 06:38:49 am Augie Fackler wrote:
> On Sep 21, 2010, at 6:53 AM, Gilles Moris wrote:
> > # HG changeset patch
> > # User Gilles Moris <gilles.moris at free.fr>
> > # Date 1284107298 -7200
> > # Node ID 478385c46665cdc7192e0f876a2e8b2bc957f2fc
> > # Parent  17feeef6da9ed761c416d3b054dc7cc0247e6269
> > backout: provide linear backout as a default (without --merge option)
>
> FWIW, I'm -1 on this being the default. I really like the dag-derived
> clarity of "this bogus change was in this group of revisions" that we get
> from the "non-linear" backouts and think they're behavior which should be
> encouraged.

Yes, I understand what you mean, and actually my first patch was keeping the 
API as it was and just adding a --linear option.
Matt asks then to rather have linear the default. Without presuming of his 
reasons:
- backout without options is currently pretty useless. The HGBook 
states "always use --merge since it does the right thing". The backout 
command is rarely used, and I have never had to use it without --merge.
- This patch does not prevent doing an explicit merge. It just change the 
default that is barely used.
- Mercurial is designed to give what users expect upfront. The explicit merge 
is not what most newcomers will expect: a reverse-patch-like behavior.
- Though this is more explicit, the --merge way can clutter the graphical 
representations with long bars, as it can go far in the past to backout a 
changeset.

That being said, I'll just resend the patch and I'll follow whatever you guys 
decide.

Regards.
Gilles.