Re: [PATCH 0/7] [RFC] advice: refuse to output if stderr not TTY

From: Junio C Hamano <gitster@pobox.com>
Date: Aug 22, 2024, 16:25 UTC
Message-ID: <xmqqcym0sexi.fsf@gitster.g>
In-Reply-To: <e90949ed-8065-4498-9ddb-3d5c6afa7b35@gmail.com>

Derrick Stolee <stolee@gmail.com> writes:

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> On 8/21/24 7:02 AM, Derrick Stolee via GitGitGadget wrote:
>> Advice is supposed to be for humans, not machines. Why do we output it when
>> stderr is not a terminal? Let's stop doing that.
>> I'm labeling this as an RFC because I believe there is some risk
>> with this
>> change. 
>
> Thanks, all, for the feedback about the risk of making such a change. I
> agree that we should not pursue this direction.
>
> The main issues are:
>
>  1. Some tools create a wrapper around Git and may want to supply the
>     advice to the user by parsing stderr.

Or they may just pass it through to the user without even parsing.

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>  2. The advice system has been on for a long time and we cannot know
>     where other dependencies could be for it.
>
> I'll abandon this RFC, but plan on the following action items:
>
>  * Document GIT_ADVICE in Documentation/git.exe.
>
>  * Modify Documentation/config/advice.txt to mention GIT_ADVICE and
>    recommend that automated tools calling Git commands set it to zero.

FWIW, not documenting it was very much deliberate to discourage folks placing it in their ~/.login file. I am OK with the above as long as "this is for tools" is stressed well enough.