automatic database upgrades (was: Re: [PATCH 0/7] cli: notmuch new improvements)

[Jani Nikula]

On Sat, 25 Jan 2014, Mark Walters <markwalters1009 at gmail.com> wrote:
> What about a config option? Something like
> database_auto_upgrade=true/false? I wouldn't have a strong preference
> which was the default (though I would choose "false" in my own
> config). I guess we would need a command line --upgrade to allow people
> with database_auto_upgrade=false to do force/allow the upgrade.

I just recently read [1] again, I think it's a good one.

It makes me ask the question, why should we ask the user to make that
decision? The decision of what to do with the config option, or even
whether to upgrade the database or not. Basically the decision is made
when the user decides to upgrade notmuch. Once the user has upgraded
notmuch his choices are to upgrade the database or downgrade notmuch.

The user would probably just like to get on with the mail reading, which
is probably also just means to an end!

BR,
Jani.


[1] http://www.joelonsoftware.com/uibook/chapters/fog0000000059.html