Re: [PATCH 1/4] Split up default "core" config parsing into helper routine

From: Linus Torvalds <torvalds@linux-foundation.org>
Date: Jun 18, 2008, 23:34 UTC
Message-ID: <alpine.LFD.1.10.0806181632080.2907@woody.linux-foundation.org>
In-Reply-To: <20080618231316.GB23053@sigill.intra.peff.net>

On Wed, 18 Jun 2008, Jeff King wrote:

> 
> It seems like the '.' implies hierarchy, but the syntax of the file
> doesn't really follow it. But that's a minor issue, and really not worth
> the pain it would take to change at this point.

Hierarchy is idiotic in a human-readable file. It's not how people work.

And you're looking at the wrong part. You're looking at the _code_ part, which is not the primary thing. The primary thing is the config file syntax. And

	[branch "mybranch"]
		url = xyz

is a hell of a lot more readable than any alternatives I've ever seen, and no, there is no hierarchy _anywhere_ there, and shouldn't be.

Forget about "branch.mybranch.url". It has no meaning. It's not what you are supposed to ever use as a human (it's purely for scripting). It's not worth even thinking about.

			Linus