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For sure, this is very bad practice when using git for forward development. When working in reverse, a lot of things go out the window :)

The way I see it, git's main role here would simply be a way to standardize patch format, not its usual role as a distributed software development aid.

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Git's role would be to record the system incrementally as each patch is applied. I've already worked all the way back to the unpatched system. I assume that if I got it right, then I'll be able to rebuild. I've mostly been able to, and I'm investigating the mostly. Plus, I'm making sure that it's 100% reproducible so anybody can down the TUHS artifacts, run my scripts and have release 0 tapes, and a git repo of all the changes. And historians will be able to see what's definitely original, and my reconstructions of missing changes to programs. Those we'll never know to a higher degree of 'consistent with everything else'

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