Re: [PATCH 3/3] send-email: also pick up cc addresses from -by trailers

From: Junio C Hamano <gitster@pobox.com>
Date: Oct 16, 2018, 07:46 UTC
Message-ID: <xmqq7eiiz64d.fsf@gitster-ct.c.googlers.com>
In-Reply-To: <ef80210d-f440-06c5-a1eb-7b3737f73adb@rasmusvillemoes.dk>

Rasmus Villemoes <rv@rasmusvillemoes.dk> writes:

Show 10 quoted lines

>> It may be surprising to existing users that
>> the command now suddenly adds more addresses the user did not think
>> would be added, but it would probably be easy enough for them to
>> work around. 
>
> Yeah, I thought about that, but unfortunately the whole auto-cc business
> is not built around some config options where we can add a new and
> default false. Also note that there are also cases currently where the
> user sends off a patch series and is surprised that lots of intended
> recipients were not cc'ed (that's how I picked this subject up again; I

That "also note ... people who are not familiar are surprised" is, quite honestly, irrelevant. The behaviour is documented, and the users are supposed to be used to it. Changing the behaviour in quite a different way from what existing users are used to is a very different matter. No matter how you cut it, change of behaviour like this is a regression for some existing users, while helping others, and it does not matter if it helps many more users than it hurts---a regression is a regression to those who are affected negatively.

At least this is a deliberate one we are making, and I think it is OK as long as both the change in behaviour and the way to get back the old behaviour are advertised properly.

Thanks.