Re: [PATCH 1/5] README: use markdown syntax

From: Johannes Schindelin <johannes.schindelin@gmx.de>
Date: Feb 24, 2016, 07:08 UTC
Message-ID: <alpine.DEB.2.20.1602240801550.3152@virtualbox>
In-Reply-To: <xmqqoab71c09.fsf@gitster.mtv.corp.google.com>

Hi Junio,

On Tue, 23 Feb 2016, Junio C Hamano wrote:

Show 14 quoted lines

> Matthieu Moy <Matthieu.Moy@imag.fr> writes:
> 
> > This allows repository browsers like GitHub to display the content of
> > the file nicely formatted.
> >
> > Signed-off-by: Matthieu Moy <Matthieu.Moy@imag.fr>
> > ---
> 
> To be honest, I have the most problem with this step in the whole
> series.
> 
> Markdown when rendered may be easier to read, but plain text is even
> easier, and it somehow feels backward to cater to those who browse
> at GitHub sacrificing those who use "less" in the source tree.

That assumes that the primary audience of the README file is the developers who already decided to clone the repository, as opposed to people browsing the README file in the browser to determine whether they found the correct project, or to read up on the background of the project without downloading the entire source code.

I'd wager real money (without scientific evidence. just going on common sense) that your 'less' people are in the vast minority.

Since I am convinced that markdown'ed READMEs enhance the user experience dramatically, Git for Windows has one already for a long time.

Hence *my* main objection: this patch series would conflict with patches we carry in Git for Windows.

;-)

Ciao, Dscho

P.S.: If it was not clear, my objection was meant as a joke. I am very much in favor of enhancing the user experience via Matthieu's patches.