Hi, On Mon, Dec 7, 2020 at 2:22 PM Felipe Contreras <felipe.contreras@xxxxxxxxx> wrote: > > On Mon, Dec 7, 2020 at 2:45 PM Junio C Hamano <gitster@xxxxxxxxx> wrote: > > > > Felipe Contreras <felipe.contreras@xxxxxxxxx> writes: > > > > > We want users to know what is a fast-forward in order to understand the > > > default warning. > > > > The intention is very good, but ... > > > > > +------------ > > > + A---B---C master on origin > > > + / > > > + D---E master > > > +------------ > > > + > > > +Then `git pull` will merge in a fast-foward way up to the new master. > > > > ... I find the phrase "in a fast-forward way" a bit awkward. > > Perhaps use the 'fast-forward' as a verb, i.e. > > > > Then `git pull` notices that what is being merged is a > > descendant of our current branch, and fast-forwards our > > 'master' branch to the commit. > > > > or something like that? It should be in line with the spirit in > > which glossary defines fast-forward, I would think. > > The glossary defines a fast-forward as: > > A fast-forward is a special type of `merge` > > So, if you consider "merge" a noun, then a fast-forward is an > adjective. If you consider it a verb, then it's an adverb. But it's > not a verb. A square is a special type of a rectangle, but that doesn't make "square" an adjective; both square and rectangle are nouns. > If it was a verb, then we should have `git fast-forward`, which may > not be a terrible idea, but right now a fast-forward is a modifier. > > At least that's what I have in my mind, and the glossary seems to agree. If you read the release notes and even various messages printed by git, "fast-forwards", "fast-forwarded", "fast-forwarding", and "to fast-forward" all appear multiple times. And yes, "fast-forward" also appears multiple times as a noun in addition to the various uses as a verb. So, I'd say the glossary just isn't comprehensive because in this case we have a word that serves as both a noun and a verb. Going back to the text Junio highlighted, I agree with him that the phrase looks really awkward, and much prefer his suggestion (regardless of whether it aligns with the current glossary). > > > + > > > +------------ > > > + D---E---A---B---C master, origin/master > > > +------------ > > > + > > > +However, a non-fast-foward case looks very different. > > > > s/foward/forward/ (the same typo exists above); > > All right. > > -- > Felipe Contreras
