I'd suggest being much more verbose about what's going on and why.
diff --git a/Documentation/git-commit.txt b/Documentation/git-commit.txt
index 5cc84a1..e842916 100644
--- a/Documentation/git-commit.txt
+++ b/Documentation/git-commit.txt
@@ -133,10 +133,12 @@ OPTIONS
-t <file>::
--template=<file>::
Use the contents of the given file as the initial version
- of the commit message. The editor is invoked and you can
- make subsequent changes. If a message is specified using
- the `-m` or `-F` options, this option has no effect. This
- overrides the `commit.template` configuration variable.
+ of the commit message. The editor is invoked so you can
+ make changes. If a message is specified using the `-m` or `-F`
+ options, this option has no effect. This overrides the
+ `commit.template` configuration variable. If the message is
+ unchanged, the message is considered to be empty and the commit is
+ aborted
-s::
--signoff::
--
1.7.6.553.g917d7.dirty
On Thu, Mar 29, 2012 at 10:57 AM, Adam Monsen <haircut@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
> Make it clear that, when using a commit template, the message *must* be
> changed or the commit will be aborted "due to empty commit message".
>
> Signed-off-by: Adam Monsen <haircut@xxxxxxxxx>
> ---
>
> I found it confusing that the commit template itself, even if
> non-empty, must be edited. Hopefully this clears that up a bit.
>
> Documentation/git-commit.txt | 2 +-
> 1 files changed, 1 insertions(+), 1 deletions(-)
>
> diff --git a/Documentation/git-commit.txt b/Documentation/git-commit.txt
> index 5cc84a1..44947ab 100644
> --- a/Documentation/git-commit.txt
> +++ b/Documentation/git-commit.txt
> @@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ OPTIONS
> -t <file>::
> --template=<file>::
> Use the contents of the given file as the initial version
> - of the commit message. The editor is invoked and you can
> + of the commit message. The editor is invoked and you must
> make subsequent changes. If a message is specified using
> the `-m` or `-F` options, this option has no effect. This
> overrides the `commit.template` configuration variable.
> --
> 1.7.5.4
>
> --
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