thought

doc/todo/branching.mdwn

@@ -135,3 +135,25 @@ Problem: Notes are usually attached to git
 objects, and there are no git objects corresponding to git-annex keys.
 
 Problem: Notes are not normally copied when cloning.
+
+------
+
+## elminating the merge problem
+
+Most of the above options are complicated by the problem of how to merge
+changes from remotes. It should be possible to deal with the merge
+problem generically. Something like this:
+
+* We have a local branch `B`.
+* For remotes, there are also `origin/B`, `otherremote/B`, etc.
+* To merge two branches `B` and `foo/B`, construct a merge commit that
+  makes each file have all lines that were in either version of the file,
+  with duplicates removed (probably). Do this without checking out a tree,
+  or using a temporary directory. (One easy but expensive way is to just
+  check out the branch to a temp dir, union merge into it, and remove the
+  temp dir ... but it should be possible to do it without using a temp dir.)
+* As a `post-merge` hook, merge `*/B` into `B`. This will ensure `B`
+  is always up-to-date after a pull from a remote.
+* When pushing to a remote, nothing need to be done, except ensure
+  `B` is either successfully pushed, or the push fails (and a pull needs to
+  be done to get the remote's changes merged into `B`).