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What large and successful open source projects have done fine with no source control? Did any of them chose consciously not to use source control? I'm really confused as to why a multi-developer project of any kind would ever not use source control.

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I had the impression that in the '90s, the Linux kernel was managed just by e-mailing patches around, before adopting Bitkeeper, and then git. Things are much easier now.

"The Linux kernel source code used to be maintained without the help of an automated source code management system, mostly because of Linus Torvalds' dislike of centralized SCM systems.

In 2002, Linux kernel development switched to BitKeeper... "

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linux_kernel#Revision_control

Bizarre(-ng? just kidding!) but true.

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