Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

GitHub Desktop is now available

github.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

11–20 of 248 posts

Re: GitHub Desktop is now available

#11

Post by nanny »

Bulk70 wrote: post #4
harel wrote: post #2

Its a shame that a Linux version is not included. A significant volume of developers work on Linux. If doing a multi platform application, why exclude it?

As strange as it sounds the lack of a decent git GUI is one of the reasons I don't feel comfortable using Linux as my main development environment (not the only reason of course). It's a big pitty neither Github nor Atlassian (the big "git" players, in my mind) seem inclined to release a GUI client for Linux.

Try the Magit package for Emacs [1]. You don't have to know (much) Emacs to use it, and it's a really great client.

[1]: https://github.com/magit/magit

Re: GitHub Desktop is now available

#12

Post by art0rz »

Bulk70 wrote: post #4
harel wrote: post #2

Its a shame that a Linux version is not included. A significant volume of developers work on Linux. If doing a multi platform application, why exclude it?

As strange as it sounds the lack of a decent git GUI is one of the reasons I don't feel comfortable using Linux as my main development environment (not the only reason of course). It's a big pitty neither Github nor Atlassian (the big "git" players, in my mind) seem inclined to release a GUI client for Linux.

I haven't found a dedicated Linux GUI client for git either, but I'm a big fan of IntelliJ's CVS support. While it supports far from everything you can do with git, its interface is excellent, and having it integrated with your editor is a big plus.

Re: GitHub Desktop is now available

#13

Post by Bulk70 »

mrsuprawsm wrote: post #8
Bulk70 wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As strange as it sounds the lack of a decent git GUI is one of the reasons I don't feel comfortable using Linux as my main development environment (not the only reason of course). It's a big pitty neither Github nor Atlassian (the big "git" players, in my mind) seem inclined to release a GUI client for Linux.

I think learning the fundamentals of the git command line is pretty simple, and pays large dividends. Indeed, learning to use git was one of the main things that spurred me to learn to use the command line for many other tasks. It's a good starting point.

I'm very comfortable with the command line in general already, and if I have to I can use git on the command line. I've just always felt a GUI is the best interface for git - personal preference I suppose.

I'm a very visual person when it comes to code, and being able to see a nice history/diff etc inline with a few clicks just sits better with how I view the world & my ideal workflow.

I appreciate I'm probably in the minority on that though, as evidenced by the lack of client from those two big players I assume they feel that way too!

Re: GitHub Desktop is now available

#14

Post by AndrewDucker »

cryon wrote: post #7
Bulk70 wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As strange as it sounds the lack of a decent git GUI is one of the reasons I don't feel comfortable using Linux as my main development environment (not the only reason of course). It's a big pitty neither Github nor Atlassian (the big "git" players, in my mind) seem inclined to release a GUI client for Linux.

I feel like most GNU/Linux users (especially developers) are comfortable enough using cli tool for this to be a non issue.

Of course they are. The people who aren't comfortable enough using a CLI stay clear of Linux.

Re: GitHub Desktop is now available

#15

Post by mbrock »

mrsuprawsm wrote: post #6
jvehent wrote: post #3

While I find this initiative fantastic, it's a bit frustrating that Github, a company that lives on source code being open, does not publish the code of tools like this one.

Exactly, it's somewhat ironic.

You could also say that it's ironic that people who are concerned with openness of source code would choose to host it on a proprietary platform. But hey, it's super convenient. (I do it too, but let's not kid ourselves.)

Re: GitHub Desktop is now available

#16

Post by totalrobe »

eli wrote: post #10
jvehent wrote: post #3

While I find this initiative fantastic, it's a bit frustrating that Github, a company that lives on source code being open, does not publish the code of tools like this one.

I don't mean this as a knock on Github, but I'd argue they are a company that lives on selling corporate licenses and enterprise software to companies that don't want everything to be public.

Correct. They earn money off of private repositories... not sure how them hosting public projects adds directly to the bottom line besides the obvious marketing benefit and sticky factors.

Re: GitHub Desktop is now available

#17

Post by gress »

jvehent wrote: post #3

While I find this initiative fantastic, it's a bit frustrating that Github, a company that lives on source code being open, does not publish the code of tools like this one.

That's just a further proof point that open-source is not a panacea: it sometimes gets in the way of running a business.

Re: GitHub Desktop is now available

#20

Post by davexunit »

Bulk70 wrote: post #4
harel wrote: post #2

Its a shame that a Linux version is not included. A significant volume of developers work on Linux. If doing a multi platform application, why exclude it?

As strange as it sounds the lack of a decent git GUI is one of the reasons I don't feel comfortable using Linux as my main development environment (not the only reason of course). It's a big pitty neither Github nor Atlassian (the big "git" players, in my mind) seem inclined to release a GUI client for Linux.

Magit is the best Git UI in existence.
Post reply on HN