Re: [PATCH v4 2/2] format-patch: "--rfc=-(WIP)" appends to produce [PATCH (WIP)]

From: Junio C Hamano <gitster@pobox.com>
Date: Apr 24, 2024, 15:25 UTC
Message-ID: <xmqqplue2361.fsf@gitster.g>
In-Reply-To: <aa628eba-1545-47ac-9773-8aff47ca4adf@gmail.com>

Phillip Wood <phillip.wood123@gmail.com> writes:

> I'm not convinced this is a good idea as I'm not sure how adding "RFC"
> at the end of the subject prefix makes the world better than just
> having at the start of the prefix and I find using "-" to do that
> quite confusing.

I am not convinced it is a good idea, either. "PATCH (WIP)" was the best example I could come up with. I am also a fan of "a list of space separated labels or keywords" you mentioned, but *if* a project convention somewhere is to have them before "PATCH", then it is not entirely unreasonable to wish to have a way to prepend these labels.

But I am fine to drop it for the sake of simplicity. It would help discourage users from trying to be "original" in a way that does not make a material difference. If a project comes with a concrete need to prepend, the patch is always resurrectable from the list archive.

As to the syntax, I think "-" is a fairly good way to indicate whether it goes to the front or back. When told to "Combine '-RFC' and 'PATCH'", I expect that most people would give 'PATCH-RFC' and not '-RFC PATCH'.

Thanks.