Fix a botched log-message

Stuart McGraw smcg4191 at frii.com
Wed Apr 2 16:23:13 BST 2008


Stefan Monnier wrote:
>>> How can I fix a log-message in some old revision?
>>> (like "cvs admin -m<rev>:<msg>")
>> You can't.  History is immutable.
> 
> This is an annoying limitation.  Botched log messages happen.
> And since they don't cause mis-compilations, they tend to be
> discovered late.
> [...]

It can be more than annoying.  Imagine if a programmer
added a log message that contained, for example, a sexually
harassing comment directed at a coworker.  In many countries
the comment would *have* to be removed whatever the cost.
("whatever the cost" almost surely being cheaper than an
unfavorable sexual harassment court judgment.)  It may
sound improbable but I was told recently of such a case.
All the other engineers thought it funny or not significant
at the time.  Management only found out about it when the
target of the comment saw it months later and complained.




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