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I'm a Subversion geek, why I should consider or not consider Mercurial or Git or any other DVCS?
What is the value of using version control?

I am a relative noob to programming, and am not going to be developing super-good software or even programming professionally anytime soon. With this predicament, is there really any reason to learn git or subversion or any other version control systems?

Community
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Billjk
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    Are you sure this question hasn't been asked before? I have a strong feeling it has. – Bernard Apr 02 '12 at 21:17
  • See [this](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/1408450/why-should-i-use-version-control) question posted on Stack Overflow. – Bernard Apr 02 '12 at 21:19
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    *Every* pro shop uses some form of VCS. (If they don't, they don't know what they're doing, full stop.) To me, it's a red flag when hiring someone if they have no VCS experience (doesn't really matter what system, so long as they understand the concepts). Beyond the benefits it brings to your code/project, knowing how to use a VCS is a personal skill that is absolutely essential in the software industry; as essential as knowing how to program. – gregmac Apr 02 '12 at 21:28

2 Answers2

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  1. When you write your own code, you are bound to do things that screw it up. (Being a noob, it's even more likely.) Wouldn't it be handy to be able to go back to the last point where it sort of worked? Version control will let you do this.

  2. Also, if you want to look at the code that is being built in the open source world, it will help you a bunch if you know how to get it out of the version control system it's in.

  3. You won't be a noob forever--why limit yourself? If you eventually get a job programming, you will have to use version control, so get used to it early.

Matthew Flynn
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Reasons to Use Version Control is really one - you have no reasons not to use version control.

Regardless of experience and skills, code quality and level of tasks.

scrwtp
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Lazy Badger
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    Having a lot of trouble parsing this answer. Double negative? – rupjones Apr 02 '12 at 21:53
  • @rupjones - yes. Do you want to get translation to any other language from original? – Lazy Badger Apr 02 '12 at 21:57
  • I think this was intended to say "you don't have reasons not to use version control"; which is almost certainly true. Alternatively, the intention could have been "if you don't have reasons, do not use version control"; which I would consider bad advice. Perhaps Lazy Badger could clarify which of these two he/she means. – Dawood ibn Kareem Apr 03 '12 at 02:43
  • @DavidWallace - 1-st form, no doubt! I just wanted to juggling by words a little - I like 3-or-more negations in English (but may overlook errors chasing the elegant paradoxality) – Lazy Badger Apr 03 '12 at 03:22
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    I'd prefer clarity over juggling. – rupjones Apr 03 '12 at 10:16