10.22
I want to read code. I want to test patches. I want to contribute. With all the different source code managers out there, it’s a royal PITA. To illustrate, I need to know rcs, cvs, Subversion, git, Mecurial and Bazaar and that’s just the beginning. Many of the development tools I use only support CVS or Subversion – integrating other SCMs is possible but it usually takes a certain amount of duct tape. Many SCMs have web interfaces that allow you to browse the tree but it’s no substitute for a genuine SCM client.
Trying to remember all the different commands to pull code, generate diffs, push code, branch, rename, log notes, update, etc. across the different SCMs is enough to make you want to pull your hair out at times. What would be a God-send would be a “universal” SCM client that understands the different back-ends, while presenting a unified command set to the user. Such a client should hide all the SCM-specific crud but provide a means to let those who know the ability to use the SCM-specific features when and where they need it.