From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 Received: from mail-wm1-f48.google.com (mail-wm1-f48.google.com [209.85.128.48]) (using TLSv1.2 with cipher ECDHE-RSA-AES128-GCM-SHA256 (128/128 bits)) (No client certificate requested) by smtp.subspace.kernel.org (Postfix) with ESMTPS id E3BD2134D9 for ; Sat, 16 Dec 2023 10:56:19 +0000 (UTC) Authentication-Results: smtp.subspace.kernel.org; dmarc=pass (p=none dis=none) header.from=gmail.com Authentication-Results: smtp.subspace.kernel.org; spf=pass smtp.mailfrom=gmail.com Authentication-Results: smtp.subspace.kernel.org; dkim=pass (2048-bit key) header.d=gmail.com header.i=@gmail.com header.b="iGHvaAC4" Received: by mail-wm1-f48.google.com with SMTP id 5b1f17b1804b1-40c38e292c8so7960335e9.0 for ; Sat, 16 Dec 2023 02:56:19 -0800 (PST) DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=gmail.com; s=20230601; t=1702724178; x=1703328978; darn=vger.kernel.org; h=content-transfer-encoding:in-reply-to:from:references:cc:to :content-language:subject:user-agent:mime-version:date:message-id :from:to:cc:subject:date:message-id:reply-to; bh=7ZS1yuDOPmbVJyyXqHDa8z7nDgvSVfmDImF+JqX8+yU=; b=iGHvaAC4kKtSa3Dd5fdoCOi1ad+85Jt6zUR+njUqOqLvnB5ymyF2zs9BcsFuA9Y1OI Q53r2KX3sJMyMEI3jPbEe8wxNXN8V/AdmfTaxsIWAcsWNPep4oh1K4GUC87sD+TERQn9 wDWXCnpgnQzDvmjlmcx7fHSesfXd8wxLc+74yRQ3LqW4MPGwR5bCwwNfqJJeqVEUYjtl 82gPq3NFPr7Dhc+tNTMCIfvCR0j3asXXREppsnDlE7k9iZT3bm30jXnLnnwZPcsWjpqk XD9SO2p7M1PF9FUnJix6NGyeri2wNVaNSDJ1UPeieGMZrelfqF6MeybsiOEx8mjO55w0 5pig== X-Google-DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=1e100.net; s=20230601; t=1702724178; x=1703328978; h=content-transfer-encoding:in-reply-to:from:references:cc:to :content-language:subject:user-agent:mime-version:date:message-id :x-gm-message-state:from:to:cc:subject:date:message-id:reply-to; bh=7ZS1yuDOPmbVJyyXqHDa8z7nDgvSVfmDImF+JqX8+yU=; b=fcpbud2iKb5ohSRAWaV2g/ekKaDDhaRs3XcvsVLPwFc3Xmff1O+vFBLq2fzyxYWNV9 JFyfs5ZbXzeaQ3RbItyVQzS961v+pVN+fRTW4aOFBYE1v4R10xOvIYO89ZgMrR4a+byG ys6yL5QZWOASve92U+tNAxNhJbaTyptmMOY6x/XaHqh/NdmhOa/ceWjwKX7TCpxVz6tr kZOBYi5pwqSeJTohhSGfssT11dKLTZ88LbbzFTqSnOHbwDliKDWmGAYIb0+t2CFixDhe P+bLfUC1AT64JjBEp+6r0pFCqlKpXvt3sEyJUST3+2z3u10IyhYXqqbekEgIQUKJZzzO rHCg== X-Gm-Message-State: AOJu0Ywy9wzch5m8zh9wLpDlAhkSaewymJqrwWJYWL9G8XHBu3T8ewUi ztpGHSbWi7okx8J2s16YCXw= X-Google-Smtp-Source: AGHT+IGdEDs1J9r1E87U1lUZdJLZFh+Mk+wj7ZxUCS8oAmHz7kUr8haRGX2uoRQBaw1wHkNAdzI6rw== X-Received: by 2002:a05:600c:8a4:b0:40c:69ac:bbe3 with SMTP id l36-20020a05600c08a400b0040c69acbbe3mr1447249wmp.151.1702724178016; Sat, 16 Dec 2023 02:56:18 -0800 (PST) Received: from [192.168.0.17] (cpc105060-sgyl40-2-0-cust995.18-2.cable.virginm.net. [81.111.15.228]) by smtp.gmail.com with ESMTPSA id n18-20020a05600c501200b0040b37f1079dsm35611774wmr.29.2023.12.16.02.56.17 (version=TLS1_3 cipher=TLS_AES_128_GCM_SHA256 bits=128/128); Sat, 16 Dec 2023 02:56:17 -0800 (PST) Message-ID: Date: Sat, 16 Dec 2023 10:56:15 +0000 Precedence: bulk X-Mailing-List: git@vger.kernel.org List-Id: List-Subscribe: List-Unsubscribe: MIME-Version: 1.0 User-Agent: Mozilla Thunderbird Subject: Re: [PATCH 0/5] make room for "special ref" Content-Language: en-GB To: Junio C Hamano , git@vger.kernel.org Cc: Patrick Steinhardt References: <20231215203245.3622299-1-gitster@pobox.com> From: Andy Koppe In-Reply-To: <20231215203245.3622299-1-gitster@pobox.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8; format=flowed Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit On 15/12/2023 20:32, Junio C Hamano wrote: > A pseudo ref is merely a normal ref with a funny naming convention, > i.e., being outside the refs/ hierarchy and has names with all > uppercase letters (or an underscore). I know what you mean, but gitglossary defines pseudorefs as separate from refs, albeit behaving like refs. Their name itself implies the same. Although the 'ref' entry then goes on to say that "there are a few special-purpose refs that do not begin with 'refs/', the most notable example being HEAD." That implies that at least some of the pseudorefs are refs after all, while keeping in mind that "HEAD is not a pseudoref, because it is sometimes a symbolic ref" according to the 'pseudoref' entry. I think a clearer answer on whether pseudorefs are refs is needed, or at least a better-defined fudge, such as "pseudorefs are refs except when ...". Defining everything under "refs/" as refs, and the stuff outside it including HEAD itself as pseudorefs, would draw clearer lines. The fact HEAD is usually symbolic doesn't seem all that relevant from the perspective of a user trying to get a grasp of refs and pseudorefs. Regards, Andy