[[!comment format=mdwn
 username="lykos@d125a37d89b1cfac20829f12911656c40cb70018"
 nickname="lykos"
 avatar="http://cdn.libravatar.org/avatar/085df7b04d3408ba23c19f9c49be9ea2"
 subject="PREPARE-LOCAL"
 date="2019-01-15T15:47:39Z"
 content="""
> \"Note that users expect `git annex whereis` to run fast, without eg, network access\"

Currently, git-annex spins up a remote process for every `git annex whereis` command that involves a file present on the remote (w/o chunking & encryption). As most remotes establish their network connection during the PREPARE phase, the command is slowed down, especially with bad internet connection. So I propose an extension `PREPARE-LOCAL` that tells the remote to get all necessary config information but skip the networking.

Alternatively, the remotes could wait to establish network connection until the first transfer command is sent but I think something like `PREPARE-LOCAL` would be the cleaner solution.
"""]]
