Re: [PATCH] documentation symlink restrictions for .git* files

[Jeff King <peff@peff.net>]

On Mon, Oct 26, 2020 at 04:32:27PM -0700, Junio C Hamano wrote:

> Jeff King <peff@peff.net> writes:
> 
> > Definitely a "NOTES" section should go in that spot, but possibly the
> > text should be in the "DESCRIPTION" section. I was worried about
> > cluttering that early part with a detail that most people wouldn't care
> > too much about.
> >
> > Looks like my patch is in 'next'; do you want to propose a patch moving
> > it around on top?
> 
> It probably is possible to tweak the introductory text this way
> without being unnecessarily loud and keep the NOTES section where it
> is.
> [...]
>  DESCRIPTION
>  -----------
>  
> -A `gitattributes` file is a simple text file that gives
> -`attributes` to pathnames.
> +A `gitattributes` file is a simple text file (it cannot be a
> +symbolic link to anything) that gives `attributes` to pathnames.

I worried that even a short mention like this would be distracting. Not
because it's so long, but because it's right there in the very first
sentence, and I really think this is a corner case that most people
would not even think about.

So it is helpful if you are looking for info on symlinks and these
files, but probably clutter if you are looking for something else.

I have to admit I don't feel all that strongly either way, though.

-Peff