Re: [PATCH] Documentation: git-format-patch.txt rewordings and cleanups

[Stephen Boyd <bebarino@gmail.com>]

On Tue, Mar 24, 2009 at 3:09 PM, J. Bruce Fields <bfields@fieldses.org> wrote:
> On Mon, Mar 23, 2009 at 03:21:23AM -0700, Stephen Boyd wrote:
>>  +
>> -Note that you would need to include the leading dot `.` if you
>> -want a filename like `0001-description-of-my-change.patch`, and
>> -the first letter does not have to be a dot.  Leaving it empty would
>> -not add any suffix.
>> +Note the first letter is not required to be a dot, you will need to
>> +include the leading dot `.` if you want a filename like
>> +`0001-description-of-my-change.patch`.
>
> That's a comma-splice, trivially fixed by changing "dot, you" to "dot;
> you".
>
> Better?: "Note that the leading dot isn't actually required if you don't
> want a dot between the patch name and the suffix."
>
> (Though personally I'd strike the whole sentence, since a) probably
> nobody cares, and b) the 1 in a million person that does actually want
> to do this can figure it out easily enough on their own with a quick
> test.)
>
> --b.
>

I don't think documentation is meant to point the user to trial and
error. Even if the error is fairly harmless. Although you could be
right that nobody cares.

How about a sentence with no negation?

"Note that the leading dot is required if you want a dot between the
patch name and the suffix."