Removing in-source contribution records contributer

Alejandro Colomar
2025-02-12T23:20:17Z

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Hi Branden,

[Subject reformed to the topic of in-source records of contribution]

On Wed, Feb 12, 2025 at 05:02:10PM -0600, G. Branden Robinson wrote:
> Hi Alex,
>
> At 2025-02-12T21:26:20+0100, Alejandro Colomar wrote:
> [...]
> > > .\" Modified 2004-06-24 by aeb
> > > .\" Modified, 2004-11-30, after idea from emmanuel.colbus@ensimag.imag.fr
> > > +.\" Modified 2025-02-12, after correction from <amitpinhass@gmail.com>
> >
> > We don't update those anymore. We now rely on the metadata in git(1).
> >
> > Every now and then, I consider if I should just remove all of those
> > lines, to avoid confusing people. If anyone is interested in the
> > history before git(1), one can certainly look at those lines in old
> > versions of the pages. Anyone reading the mailing list opposes
> > removing those lines? (I'll ask again before removing anything, with
> > a proper subject line.)

Okay, time has come to open this melon. :)

> If you do this, I suggest you replace these lines with something like:
>
> .\" See the Git revision history at
> .\" $URL
> .\" for records of changes and contributors to this file.

Good idea.

> That way (1) anyone diffing old and new versions don't see what looks
> like an unmotivated erasure of contributor credits; (2) people who
> have contributed and been credited don't feel as much of a sting, since
> they know records continue to be kept in a publicly available (and
> replicated, distributed place) and (3) future contributors know that
> they can expect to be treated equitably with past ones.

How about something like this?

diff --git i/man/man2/mount.2 w/man/man2/mount.2
index 178d59b52..f65c3947f 100644
--- i/man/man2/mount.2
+++ w/man/man2/mount.2
@@ -4,18 +4,8 @@
.\"
.\" SPDX-License-Identifier: Linux-man-pages-copyleft
.\"
-.\" Modified 1996-11-04 by Eric S. Raymond <esr@thyrsus.com>
-.\" Modified 2001-10-13 by Michael Kerrisk <mtk.manpages@gmail.com>
-.\" Added note on historical behavior of MS_NOSUID
-.\" Modified 2002-05-16 by Michael Kerrisk <mtk.manpages@gmail.com>
-.\" Extensive changes and additions
-.\" Modified 2002-05-27 by aeb
-.\" Modified 2002-06-11 by Michael Kerrisk <mtk.manpages@gmail.com>
-.\" Enhanced descriptions of MS_MOVE, MS_BIND, and MS_REMOUNT
-.\" Modified 2004-06-17 by Michael Kerrisk <mtk.manpages@gmail.com>
-.\" 2005-05-18, mtk, Added MNT_EXPIRE, plus a few other tidy-ups.
-.\" 2008-10-06, mtk: move umount*() material into separate umount.2 page.
-.\" 2008-10-06, mtk: Add discussion of namespaces.
+.\" See git(1) commit man-pages-6.11^ (2025-02-13, "Remove in-source contribution records")
+.\" for old records of changes to this file.
.\"
.TH mount 2 (date) "Linux man-pages (unreleased)"
.SH NAME

I would of course make sure to commit this right before the release, to
make sure I don't invalidate the reference.

Have a lovely night!
Alex

--
<https://www.alejandro-colomar.es/>