Re: [PATCH v4 0/3] use mailmap by default in git log

From: Ariadne Conill <ariadne@dereferenced.org>
Date: Jul 12, 2019, 08:40 UTC
Message-ID: <CAAOiGNwGqtSoG8vsy+3gb0=tDVvA1YcA3FcDP0KQMa0=xp5j9w@mail.gmail.com>
In-Reply-To: <xmqqtvbsqs9x.fsf@gitster-ct.c.googlers.com>

Hello,

On Thu, Jul 11, 2019 at 2:34 PM Junio C Hamano <gitster@pobox.com> wrote:

Show 29 quoted lines

>
> Junio C Hamano <gitster@pobox.com> writes:
>
> > Even though I personally think it is an OK longer-term end goal, the
> > execution looks too hasty.  The normal way we handle a big behaviour
> > change like this is to do the following in steps, in different
> > releases:
> >
> >  - In the first release, introduce an early adoptor option (say
> >    log.usemailmap) that can be turned on by the user, but is off by
> >    default.  IOW, the initial step is "no change in behaviour,
> >    unless you ask for it".  This step also makes sure that the way
> >    to disable it for those who opt into the option from the command
> >    line (i.e.  the --no-use-mailmap option) works well.
> >
> >  - In the second release, when "git log" is run without command line
> >    "--[no-]use-mailmap" and "log.usemailmap" is not set by the user,
> >    give warning about an upcoming flipping of the default, with an
> >    advice message that the user can squelch the warning by setting
> >    the option.
> >
> >  - In the final release, flip the default and remove the warning.
> >
> > Usually there needs sufficient time between the second step and the
> > third step, so that people will not miss the warning.
>
> IIUC, we are between step 1 and step 2.  The configuration already
> exists and uses the safe (i.e. the same as before) default.  Your
> change combines the step 2 and step 3 into one, which will not work.

Makes sense.

> What we need at this point is the "second release" phase, i.e.
> additional warnings without yet changing the default behaviour.
> After it is given to the end users and sufficient time passes, we
> can flip the default.

Do you have a proposed timetable for this? I can add a warning message and we can proceed with the warning message for now and then flip the defaults later. I just need to know what version you would like to do the flip in (3.0?) so that I can write the warning message.

Assuming the release you would like to flip the setting in is 3.0, I would propose something like this:

Warning: The `git log` command will default to using the mailmap file
if present to map contributor names as of Git 3.0.  If you want to
enable this behaviour now, use `git config --global log.mailmap true`
to enable it.  If you want to explicitly disable this behaviour in the
future, use `git config --global log.mailmap false` to disable it.

Your thoughts on this message?

Ariadne