Re: [PATCH 6/7] stage: add 'diff' subcommand

From: Felipe Contreras <felipe.contreras@gmail.com>
Date: Aug 11, 2021, 21:24 UTC
Message-ID: <61144021e75ac_1ed6208da@natae.notmuch>
In-Reply-To: <YRQzbPpk23dVqP+g@coredump.intra.peff.net>

Jeff King wrote:

Show 24 quoted lines

> On Wed, Aug 11, 2021 at 03:18:45PM -0500, Felipe Contreras wrote:
> 
> > > One thing I find off-putting about "git stage --diff" is that to me,
> > > "stage" reads as a verb. So it is like "git add --diff", which seems
> > > out-of-place; there are two verbs in a row.
> > > 
> > > I do not mind the term "staging area", but using "the stage" as a noun
> > > is simply confusing to me in this context.
> > 
> > OK, but "stage" can be a noun.
> > 
> > Here is one of the definitions:
> > 
> >   : a center of attention or scene of action
> > 
> > This definition doesn't imply what the action is about, but
> > "commit stage" should be perfectly aligned with that definition.
> > 
> > Here's another one:
> > 
> >   : one of two or more sections of a rocket that have their own fuel and engine
> 
> Sure, I know the various meanings of "stage" in English. But I do not find it a
> synonym for "staging area" at all.

Nowhere did I argue that they are synonyms.

I said "stage" can be a noun. Just like "staging area" is also a noun.

They do not mean the same thing.

Show 5 quoted lines

> Now my opinion may not matter, but:
> 
>   - I thought the goal of using a different name was to find something
>     that made intuitive sense to English speakers. I do not find "the
>     stage" any better than "the index" (in fact, I find it worse).

We already found something more intuitive to English speakers: "staging area".

>   - Part of your argument seems to be "many people expressed an opinion
>     that the term 'staging area' was a good idea". My name was among
>     them.  But in the very email from which you quoted me, I am arguing
>     that "staging area" makes sense to me, but "the stage" does not.

I am perfectly aware of that.

Everyone agrees "staging area" is the way to go.

How that gets translated to the user interface is a *different* matter:

  * git diff --staged
  * git diff --stage
  * git diff --staging-area
  * git staging-area --diff
  * git stage --diff

My main concern is not precisely how this term gets transcribed to the UI, it is that it actually gets done.

If it's easier to start by updating the documentation to start using "staging area" since that requires less discussion about term mapping, then I'll gladly attempt that first.

-- 
Felipe Contreras