There is no such thing in git as a “central repository”, there’s only “people” with their repository. It stands to reason that you can’t push your changes into others, you can only ask others to pull changes from you.

The so-called “central repository” that people use, is simply some sort of machine-driven user or “person” with its own account and repository. So in some way, you’re supposed to ask this “machine” to pull the changes from your personal repo. And that’s where github and other additional server-side programming comes in, kinda like a remote control for these faux-users.

Sounds like a lot of fun ؟

I’ve been a professional programmer for six years. I’ve delved into different Linux topics for just as long. I’m intimately familiar with using man pages. Google is my best friend. I’ve read tutorial after tutorial on git. And still, I have problems doing simple things: setting up a remote repository location, making this location secure, making this location accessible, how do I get my local tags to remote (use the –tags option with git-push), etc.

I’m migrating from Subversion, and I definitely see git as the superior tool; however, there is no reason why documentation and interface design cannot meet the needs of both the novice and the advanced users. The git project has been around this long and still is geared almost exclusively to people in the know. This is unacceptable.

As for setting up a new remote repository, there is no reason for it to require the steps people have listed here. Yes, I know I can copy the freakin’ thing with scp. Yes, I know that I can set up a bare repository while actually on the remote box. Yes, I also know all the little config tweaks necessary to make the thing actually work. What I don’t know is why if I want to allow other people to be able to create repositories on my repository server do I have to give them SSH, FTP, or other file access to my box. Answer that for me please.

I’m sure some will retort “why would you trust someone to make repositories but not trust them with a user account?” Does it really matter? The point is that it should not require me to set up additional configurations outside of git itself to allow people to create a new repository. This means that I should not have to create SSH or FTP users, use third-party tools, or write a customized solution to allow people other than myself to create new repositories. Furthermore, the solution to create a new remote repository should be simple and intuitive.

Basically you have to create repository on the remote side before you can push into it. And to push current branch it is enough to use “git push HEAD” (”git push ” will push matching branches, IIRC), but it is better to setup configuration for that.

As to manpages being cryptic: first, they are *reference* documentation. Second, they are created (usually) by advanced git user’s, who know git back and forth; therefore contributions to manual from new to git users are very much appreciated (git mailing list is open to all, and is available via NNTP interface on GMane).

Yet the Git fanboys come in with their 7 line recipes and hacked-together shell scripts, and are apparently unable to see that there’s something very wrong with that picture. Instead, you must be the idiot, and must have expected git to “read your mind”.

It’s hilarious. Sad, but hilarious.