> git wasn't created as a general solution to version control, but for the specific needs of Linux kernel development.

This is an instance of a more general problem in all software development: tools are created usually to serve a purpose, but when they become popular they end up being used, not because they're a good fit for the problem, but because they're popular -- everybody knows how to use them. The tradeoff (which may be worth making) is the time to learn a new tool vs. the continual cost of using a tool that's not quite right for what you're doing.