From: Joshua Ryan Smith Date: Mon, 29 Oct 2012 23:47:48 +0000 (-0400) Subject: repository: initial arguments from Joshua X-Git-Url: http://git.tremily.us/?a=commitdiff_plain;h=f4733df63de7db839c832604113227906663f5dc;p=workshop-organization.git repository: initial arguments from Joshua From: "Joshua Ryan Smith Ph.D." Date: Mon, 29 Oct 2012 19:47:48 -0400 Subject: Re: [Gits] Software Carpentry Gits Skimmed?!? :) Here are some arguments for side B... --- f4733df63de7db839c832604113227906663f5dc diff --git a/repository b/repository new file mode 100644 index 0000000..9e8dde7 --- /dev/null +++ b/repository @@ -0,0 +1,41 @@ +Here are some arguments for side B (multiple repo option) mixed +together with arguments against side A. I use the => characters to +indicate what I think is the likely outcome of some of the points. + +* One repo per bootcamp is the simplest possible construction. There + is no coupling to people that aren't instructors at that + bootcamp. The simplest possible construction reduces the + instructors' cognitive load so they can focus on execution. +* Every instructor will have idiosyncrasies regarding their teaching + style. => Even if there is a common starting point, notes will + likely diverge. +* There won't be 100% consensus on format. => Even if there is a + majority, some people will refuse to teach with, for example, slide + decks. Thus they will be alienated and feel less enthusiastic about + helping with future bootcamps. +* Maintaining "official" ports of multiple formats will require lots + of additional administrative overhead. => Resources will be spent on + the administrative overhead even though they may be better spent + elsewhere. +* Air-traffic controlling all this material will require + administrative overhead. => Resources will be spent on the + administrative overhead even though they may be better spent + elsewhere. +* Having a system with a lot of administrative overhead increases its + brittleness. If the admins disappear for whatever reason, merges to + the repo may become unstable since no one would be maintaining them. +* Complexity is the enemy of execution. => Eventually the single + repo/multiple branch model will torpedo a bootcamp. +* The coupling of instructors at a bootcamp and likely a + non-instructor merging pull requests into the same repo will have + negative unintended consequences. => Eventually this coupling will + torpedo a bootcamp. +* Bootcamp notes will soon cross a threshold of pedagogical value and + reach a point of diminishing returns. At that point time should be + spent on improving the performance part of the lecture rather than + the notes. Additional modification to the notes only increase the + complexity of the repo and threaten the execution of the bootcamp as + described above. + +Let me reiterate that I don't think the multiple repos model is a +great option, but I think it is the least worst.