Re: [PATCH v3 01/16] doc: pull: explain what is a fast-forward

From: Felipe Contreras <felipe.contreras@gmail.com>
Date: Dec 7, 2020, 22:22 UTC
Message-ID: <CAMP44s1ZDXzGfEqpTeiG=aGAYK40ebnBLQKAbA7KGtcePGARfw@mail.gmail.com>
In-Reply-To: <xmqq8sa99wh3.fsf@gitster.c.googlers.com>

On Mon, Dec 7, 2020 at 2:45 PM Junio C Hamano <gitster@pobox.com> wrote:

Show 25 quoted lines

>
> Felipe Contreras <felipe.contreras@gmail.com> writes:
>
> > We want users to know what is a fast-forward in order to understand the
> > default warning.
>
> The intention is very good, but ...
>
> > +------------
> > +       A---B---C master on origin
> > +      /
> > +    D---E master
> > +------------
> > +
> > +Then `git pull` will merge in a fast-foward way up to the new master.
>
> ... I find the phrase "in a fast-forward way" a bit awkward.
> Perhaps use the 'fast-forward' as a verb, i.e.
>
>         Then `git pull` notices that what is being merged is a
>         descendant of our current branch, and fast-forwards our
>         'master' branch to the commit.
>
> or something like that?  It should be in line with the spirit in
> which glossary defines fast-forward, I would think.

The glossary defines a fast-forward as:

  A fast-forward is a special type of `merge`

So, if you consider "merge" a noun, then a fast-forward is an adjective. If you consider it a verb, then it's an adverb. But it's not a verb.

If it was a verb, then we should have `git fast-forward`, which may not be a terrible idea, but right now a fast-forward is a modifier.

At least that's what I have in my mind, and the glossary seems to agree.

Show 8 quoted lines

> > +
> > +------------
> > +    D---E---A---B---C master, origin/master
> > +------------
> > +
> > +However, a non-fast-foward case looks very different.
>
> s/foward/forward/ (the same typo exists above);

All right.

-- 
Felipe Contreras