Re: [PATCHv2] Documentation/SubmittingPatches: Explain the rationale of git notes

From: Junio C Hamano <gitster@pobox.com>
Date: Dec 30, 2014, 16:19 UTC
Message-ID: <xmqqzja5rtyf.fsf@gitster.dls.corp.google.com>
In-Reply-To: <CAGZ79kZxsWZRdaQ-0_9Ou3y0KOruD0WVrC0Drkjgu=TbgUjiSA@mail.gmail.com>

Stefan Beller <sbeller@google.com> writes:

Show 13 quoted lines

>>> +can also be inserted using the `--notes` option. If you are one
>>> +of those developers who cannot write perfect code the first time
>>> +and need multiple iterations of review and discussion, you may
>>> +want to keep track of the changes between different versions of
>>> +a patch using notes and then also use the `--notes` option when
>>> +preparing the patch for submission.
>>
>> Perhaps this could be rephrased in a less derogatory fashion like this:
>
> This wasn't meant to be derogatory at all. It was more of subtle humor.
> Sorry for the confusion.
>
> If this is offensive in any way I'd rather go with your suggestion indeed.

I too found it very close to the borderline between being funny and being unnecessarily condescending when I first read it and couldn't tell which side of the line it was on.

It is not if the readers need multiple iterations to get things perfect (most of us do, anyway). It is if the readers already have a good procedure to manage the changes (if they do, they do not need us to making suggestion to use notes) or they are actively in search of a good tool to add to their toolbox. From that point of view, Eric's rewrite does present a useful tool to keep track of changes that the readers may want to consider in a lot tamer way.