How do I update .git/config on a remote server

Question

I'd like to set up non fast-forward merges as the default for a repository that's already in service. That means adding

  [merge]
          ff = false

to the repository's .git/config file. Because that's metadata, I can't expect it to update when I push the repo as usual.

So I've been cloning the bare repo, making the change, and trying to push the result back to the server. Except that I'm unable to make any combination of arguments to 'git push' actually do what I want.

Update: Looks like what I'm trying to describe isn't possible (thanks to the patient folk on #git); I'll just have to encourage my developers to do this.

Answer 1

ssh intro the remote server and do whatever you like in the bare git (and take care!)

but, yes, you should use hooks