[Savannah-hackers-public] git over https

[Bob Proulx]

Hi Paul,

> Subject: Testing new savannah website (2nd test)

Splitting this thread off because it isn't related to the web site.

Paul Smith wrote:
> Bob Proulx wrote:
> > Note that this isn't a migration problem.  I pulled git back to the
> > older server.  So it might be a problem with the older git version on
> > the older server.
> 
> I don't want to interrupt anyone's good work, but I wonder if there's a
> hoped-for timeline for putting Git back on the new server again?

When we are talking about moving things what we are really talking
about is where the DNS record for the name points.  Originally the
name points to the old server.  Then we point the name to the new
server.  Then we point the name back.  I am just setting this up so
that the next thing I say will make sense in that context. :-)

> The current one works fine for me except that I really want HTTPS
> support, which the current server doesn't provide.

First let me ask why you want https access?  It is terribly slow.  You
are a member and can use ssh.  Why not use ssh access?  There is no
advantage to using https over ssh but there are many disadvantages.
It is really only a last ditch fallback method.

Having set up the above context the only thing actually moving is the
DNS record.  Which to you means that the newer Git, with the newer
Nginx serving http and https, with fully up to date TLS and
certificates and PFS and everything, is still available for you on the
newer machine.  The only thing left that isn't working on the new
system is git:// chechouts specifying a shallow clone --depth 1.  That
isn't working.  Everything else seems to be working okay.
Unfortunately the "git.savannah.gnu.org" DNS is associated with all of
the different parts.  So a problem with one drags the other back.

I have been hesitant to really advertise this but I have let the genie
out of the bottle in a few other places.  There is no reason you can't
use the https under the name for the new system.  That works.

  git clone https://git0.savannah.gnu.org/git/emacs.git
    Cloning into 'emacs'...
    ... takes about twenty minutes with no output on my network ...

Consider that name and protocol to be beta at this moment and not
quite released to production yet.  I am still hacking on things.  So
there may be transient problems when I have it disabled during a
debugging session.  And since the DNS name is a temporary then at some
point much later it will get cleaned up and you will need to revert to
the production name.  Which is a simple git set-url command.  But if
you use it and it works then the resulting working copy is correct.
If you encounter problems using it I would appreciate problem reports.

The same thing applies to ssh access.  I recommend using ssh whenever
possible.  (Note the "/srv/git" path versus the "/r" or "/git" paths.
That part is different depending on the protocol due to the way the
configuration for the protocols is set up.)  You are a Savannah
member.  You can clone *ANY* project on Savannah using ssh.  You do
NOT need to be a member of that project to clone it.  That is only
needed to push to it.

  git clone ssh://git0.savannah.gnu.org/srv/git/emacs.git
    ...good progress reporting...

Does this help you?

> Thanks for everyone's hard work on this... at $(realjob) we're moving
> our offices in two months so I know how complex and frustrating it can
> be to unearth and move years of accreted tech.

Everyone knows the stories about servers found walled off in forgotten
closets but still running years later.  Sometimes it can be like that
with software too.  :-)

Bob