Philip Oakley <philipoakley@iee.email> writes: > On 27/10/2020 18:45, Junio C Hamano wrote: >> Jeff King <peff@xxxxxxxx> writes: >> >>>> DESCRIPTION >>>> ----------- >>>> >>>> -A `gitattributes` file is a simple text file that gives >>>> -`attributes` to pathnames. >>>> +A `gitattributes` file is a simple text file (it cannot be a >>>> +symbolic link to anything) that gives `attributes` to pathnames. >>> I worried that even a short mention like this would be distracting. Not >>> because it's so long, but because it's right there in the very first >>> sentence, and I really think this is a corner case that most people >>> would not even think about. >>> >>> So it is helpful if you are looking for info on symlinks and these >>> files, but probably clutter if you are looking for something else. >>> >>> I have to admit I don't feel all that strongly either way, though. >> I don't, either, and as I said, I found that the placement of new >> text was OK. >> >> > I do think that the extra text above is the right thing to do. > > We should be informing readers early about things that are expressly > prohibited. It needs to be balanced, though. If it is so common a temptation among readers to make a symbolic link out of the tracked contents, perhaps it is worth telling them that they shouldn't do so, but I just do not get the feeling that it is the case.
