Re: [PATCH] docs: typo in glossary content

From: Junio C Hamano <gitster@pobox.com>
Date: May 19, 2021, 07:38 UTC
Message-ID: <xmqqtumzxjef.fsf@gitster.g>
In-Reply-To: <pull.957.git.1621406381404.gitgitgadget@gmail.com>

"Reuven Y. via GitGitGadget" <gitgitgadget@gmail.com> writes:

Show 13 quoted lines

> diff --git a/Documentation/glossary-content.txt b/Documentation/glossary-content.txt
> index 67c7a50b96a0..e75aed00ffe1 100644
> --- a/Documentation/glossary-content.txt
> +++ b/Documentation/glossary-content.txt
> @@ -146,7 +146,7 @@ current branch integrates with) obviously do not work, as there is no
>  	<<def_revision,revision>> and you are "merging" another
>  	<<def_branch,branch>>'s changes that happen to be a descendant of what
>  	you have. In such a case, you do not make a new <<def_merge,merge>>
> -	<<def_commit,commit>> but instead just update to his
> +	<<def_commit,commit>> but instead just update to this
>  	revision. This will happen frequently on a
>  	<<def_remote_tracking_branch,remote-tracking branch>> of a remote
>  	<<def_repository,repository>>.

Actually, "his" is what was intended by the original introduced at 9290cd58 (Added definitions for a few words:, 2006-05-03).

The "fast-forward" situation it describes happens when you try to merge somebody else's history into your history, and if you do not have anything of your own since the history of the other party forked from your history. In such a situation, instead of creating a merge commit whose parents are the tip of your history and the tip of the history of the other party, you just update the pointer that points at the tip of your history (i.e. HEAD) to point at the commit at the tip of the history of the other party.

One would refer to that commit, as "the tip of _HIS_ history", if one does not bother trying to be gender neutral by repeatedly saying "the other party". So, "his" you touched is correct. The description that leads to this part talks about two "revisions" (i.e. the one you have, and the other one you are merging), and rewriting it to "this" revision makes it unclear which one is meant.

I do not mind neutering the expression with "the other party", especially since that would help reduce confusion. How about phrasing

    In such a case, you do not make a new <<def_merge,merge>>
    <<def_commit,commit>>, but instead just update your branch to
    point at the same revision as the other party's.  This will
    happen often ...

perhaps?

Thanks.