Re: [Bug report] git diff stat shows unrelated diff

From: Junio C Hamano <gitster@pobox.com>
Date: Feb 15, 2019, 20:12 UTC
Message-ID: <xmqqzhqw4xqe.fsf@gitster-ct.c.googlers.com>
In-Reply-To: <CABPp-BEmPQb4Q_38S2A_68m+Cu75VDDD2UV0qWBDjL1OUAug9Q@mail.gmail.com>

Elijah Newren <newren@gmail.com> writes:

Show 11 quoted lines

>> Instead of outright deprecating it, would it make sense to include a
>> configuration option, say "diff.sensibleDots", that would enable a user
>> to set the dots to the other form if they desire?
>
> I think Junio's suggested steps would still have to come first, and
> there may also need to be a time period after two-dot notation is an
> error before we were to try to repurpose it for something else (e.g.
> to make it behave the same as triple-dot).  Adding a config to change
> things now without both a deprecation and error period would invite
> horrible surprises and bug reports; people need time and warning to
> change workflows and fix existing scripts that might be out there.

Historically, it was a mistake to allow A..B to be used for two endpoints, which was made back when we haven't thought things through. That is why I stopped "warn to deprecate and then completely remove", as I do not think it would help people very much if "git diff A B" can be spelled with two-dots.

But in a distant future long after that happens, by the time nobody remembers what A..B meant for "git diff", I do not think I'd strongly be opposed to reusing it to mean something different.