Re: [PATCH 1/2] test for '!' handling in rev-parse's named commits

From: Junio C Hamano <gitster@pobox.com>
Date: Jun 3, 2015, 21:52 UTC
Message-ID: <xmqqbngwwjbd.fsf@gitster.dls.corp.google.com>
In-Reply-To: <1433364854-30088-2-git-send-email-wmpalmer@gmail.com>

Will Palmer <wmpalmer@gmail.com> writes:

> Specifically, as documented: '^{/!Message}' should fail, as this syntax
> is currently reserved; while '^{!!Message}' should search for a commit
> whose message contains the string "!Message".

The /! sequence being reserved does not mean it was planned to be used only for a single thing in the future, though.

Think of it as a syntax to introduce extended features, the first use of which was this:

	/!!string	-> find commit with "!string"

The above is just one "feature" that the reserved syntax allows, namely, "to find a string that begins with an exclamation mark". The anticipation is to use another feature introducer after "/!" to enhance the matching, so that we can keep enhancing the syntax.

cf. http://thread.gmane.org/gmane.comp.version-control.git/40460/focus=40477

Using "/!Message" to match commits that do not match Message directly goes against that extensivility design.

We need to always remind ourselves that our latest shiny new toy will not be the final new feature. There always will be need to add yet another new thing, and we need to keep the door open for them.

Perhaps

	/!-string	-> find commit without "string"

or something?