[jamesdsadler]

If you don't have a stage then you don't get to edit/stage/edit/stage/fix/commit, right? I use that workflow a lot. I generally like incrementally building and refining my next commit. The stage/index is one of Git's most innovative features IMHO.

[gerad]

The same workflow can be accomplished by amending commits in git, without a whole new set of semantics needed for managing the staging area (or needing to stash changes when switching branches).