Re: [PATCH v2 1/8] MyFirstContribution: mention contrib/contacts/git-contacts

From: Junio C Hamano <gitster@pobox.com>
Date: Apr 6, 2024, 02:22 UTC
Message-ID: <xmqq8r1rqlgn.fsf@gitster.g>
In-Reply-To: <3817e7f3cd007fe26b8bfdec6babed1c17ec3795.1712366536.git.gitgitgadget@gmail.com>

"Linus Arver via GitGitGadget" <gitgitgadget@gmail.com> writes:

Show 27 quoted lines

> From: Linus Arver <linusa@google.com>
>
> Although we've had this script since 4d06402b1b (contrib: add
> git-contacts helper, 2013-07-21), we don't mention it in our
> introductory docs. Do so now.
>
> Signed-off-by: Linus Arver <linusa@google.com>
> ---
>  Documentation/MyFirstContribution.txt | 5 +++++
>  1 file changed, 5 insertions(+)
>
> diff --git a/Documentation/MyFirstContribution.txt b/Documentation/MyFirstContribution.txt
> index f06563e9817..ad3989f53e5 100644
> --- a/Documentation/MyFirstContribution.txt
> +++ b/Documentation/MyFirstContribution.txt
> @@ -1116,6 +1116,11 @@ $ git send-email --to=target@example.com psuh/*.patch
>  NOTE: Check `git help send-email` for some other options which you may find
>  valuable, such as changing the Reply-to address or adding more CC and BCC lines.
>  
> +NOTE: Use `contrib/contacts/git-contacts` to get a list of reviewers you should
> +include in the CC list. In addition, you can do `git send-email --cc-cmd='git
> +contacts' feature/*.patch` to automatically pass this list of emails to
> +`send-email`.
> +
>  NOTE: When you are sending a real patch, it will go to git@vger.kernel.org - but
>  please don't send your patchset from the tutorial to the real mailing list! For
>  now, you can send it to yourself, to make sure you understand how it will look.

Nice.

I personally find "you should" a bit too strong and authoritative, though. Is the tool precise enough that we are confident that we do not end up spamming those who are not actively helping others?

As I prefer not to be too assertive, something like

    The `contrib/contacts/git-contacts` script may help you coming
    up people you may want to ask to review your patch by adding
    them to the Cc: header.

is as far as I would go, but for those who are not familiar enough with the project, perhaps it would be OK to assume that the script would do a much better job than these contributors would do themselves, I guess.

Thanks.