From: Thomas Hafner <thomas@...>
Date: 2007-03-19T06:45:06+09:00
Subject: Re: Why SVN?

"Tim Becker" <a2800276@gmail.com> wrote/schrieb <254c7bfb0703121526r57c6d198t9234c5ad501a89f6@mail.gmail.com>:

> working offline is, with the exception of maybe a short stint on a
> plane or train, not that common nowadays.

Working offline is not the only situation where a distributed version
control system may be better. How about the following situation.

Developer A is working on a major task. He has already changed a lot
of software locally. Now A gets aware that he needs B doing some
modifications in some other modules where B is the real expert.
Neither A nor B can propagate his own changes solely, because that
would break the build for all other developers. This is a normal
branch situation, but the branch situation has been recognized very
late. In addition A and B have to work some more time on the common
task, which means that they have to interchange and synchronize their
software releases several times without disturbing the others.

In a distributed system A and B just pull from each other as often as
they need to get the task done. Full propagation (resp. integration,
in a central system) will follow then, but not earlier.

Regards
  Thomas