doc/forum/Hardlinks_instead_of_symlinks_in_locked+thin_mode.mdwn

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+Would it be possible to make `thin` work in locked mode? In other words, could locked mode use **hardlinks** instead symlinks then `thin` is set?
+
+Such a combined mode would have all the benefits of locked mode (protection, easy-to-stop missing files) and of direct mode (no duplication of files). It would also (partially) solve the problems discussed in [[devblog/day_601__v7_default/]] and [[todo/symlinks_for_not-present_unlocked_files/]].
+
+Here is an example of how this could work from the user prospective:
+
+```
+$ mkdir foobar && cd foobar/ && git init . && git annex init foobar
+$ echo "aaaa" > a && echo "bbbb" > b
+
+$ git config annex.thin true
+$ git annex add a b
+[...] ok
+$ git annex sync
+[...] ok
+$ ls
+a  b  # note: no symlinks
+
+$ echo "foo" > a
+bash: a: Permission denied
+
+$ git annex drop --force a
+$ ls
+a@  b # note: symlink for missing file
+```