Not sure for what batch operations that file is actually useful, but the story is that if we have a shared git repo (I know -- might not be as common of a situation but possible and allowed to happen), then if one from the shared group commits within that repository, it becomes impossible for another person to commit. git does take care about chmod'ing all the files under .git/objects etc for --shared operation, but leaves .git/COMMIT_EDITMSG at the mercy of user's umask. IMHO correct resolution, if leaving that file behind is necessary, is to chmod it in the same fashion as any other internal .git file in --shared mode -- with group write permission. I have reproduced that behavior with today's version of git as of 2.7.0.rc1.5.gf3adf45. -- Yaroslav O. Halchenko Center for Open Neuroscience http://centerforopenneuroscience.org Dartmouth College, 419 Moore Hall, Hinman Box 6207, Hanover, NH 03755 Phone: +1 (603) 646-9834 Fax: +1 (603) 646-1419 WWW: http://www.linkedin.com/in/yarik -- To unsubscribe from this list: send the line "unsubscribe git" in the body of a message to majordomo@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx More majordomo info at http://vger.kernel.org/majordomo-info.html