[[git-annex-import]] by default deletes the original files.  Keeping them by default would be better. "import" in many other tools (e.g. the bioinformatics tool [Geneious](https://www.geneious.com/)) means a non-destructive import.  The short description of `git-annex-import` on its man page says it "adds" files to the repo, which does not suggest erasure.  When I first used `git-annex-import`, I was surprised by the default behavior, and others may be too.  Also, the command has now been "overloaded" for importing from a special remote, and in that mode the originals are not erased; giving the import-from-dir mode the same default would be more consistent.  In general, erasing data by default seems dangerous: what if it was being imported into a temporary or untrusted repo?

Changing the default would also let one [[repeatedly re-import a directory while keeping original files in place|bugs/impossible__40____63____41___to_continuously_re-import_a_directory_while_keeping_original_files_in_place]].

I realize this would be a breaking change for some workflows; warning of it [[like git does|todo/warn_of_breaking_changes_same_way_git_does]] would mitigate the breakage.

[[!tag unlikely]]
