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List:       gnulib-bug
Subject:    Re: cvs commit log messages
From:       Jim Meyering <jim () meyering ! net>
Date:       2006-10-25 13:51:22
Message-ID: 87d58gwlk5.fsf () rho ! meyering ! net
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Bruno Haible <bruno@clisp.org> wrote:
> Jim Meyering wrote:
>> I have found that it is useful to keep the commit log message
>> very similar to the ChangeLog entry.
>
> ... whereas I find it useful to put rationale information into the cvs
> commit message. (Because the ChangeLog entry is only supposed to mention
> _what_ has changed, not _why_. And a comment in the source code would in
> same case - like this one - be cluttering and disturbing.) Where else to
> put rationale information?

If the "GNU coding standards" guidelines suggest not to include "why"
a change was made in a ChangeLog entry, then it should be corrected.
The explanation for why a change has been made is often more important
than what has been done to solve the problem.

If you want to add *more* information to the commit log, that's fine,
but at least when it's a file that I maintain, please don't put less in
the commit log than what's in the ChangeLog.

I found the "ANSI C!" comment to be so terse that it was nearly useless.
Also, it didn't mention which function was affected.

Obviously this isn't a big deal for such a small change.  I just want to
make sure it won't happen again, later, with a more consequential change.



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