Subject: Re: [PATCH 1/4] usage: help the user help themselves

From: "Kristoffer Haugsbakk" <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 27 Aug 2025 22:36:04 +0200

> usage: help the user help themselves

I think I’ll change the area to the more pointed:

    you-still-use-that??:

On Wed, Aug 27, 2025, at 18:29, [email-masked] wrote:
> @@ -377,12 +378,22 @@ void bug_fl(const char *file, int line, const char *fmt, ...)
>
>  NORETURN void you_still_use_that(const char *command_name)
>  {
> +	struct strbuf percent_encoded = STRBUF_INIT;
> +	strbuf_add_percentencode(&percent_encoded,
> +				 command_name,
> +				 STRBUF_ENCODE_SLASH);
> +
>  	fprintf(stderr,
>  		_("'%s' is nominated for removal.\n"
> -		  "If you still use this command, please add an extra\n"
> -		  "option, '--i-still-use-this', on the command line\n"
> -		  "and let us know you still use it by sending an e-mail\n"
> -		  "to <[email-masked]>.  Thanks.\n"),
> -		command_name);
> +		  "If you still use this command, here's what you can do:\n"
> +		  "\n"
> +		  "- read https://git-scm.com/docs/BreakingChanges.html\n"
> +		  "- check if anyone has discussed this on the mailing\n"
> +		  "  list and if they came up with something that can\n"
> +		  "  help you: https://lore.kernel.org/git/?q=%s\n"
> +		  "- send an email to <[email-masked]>\n"

Maybe (thinking out loud) this should retain some part of the “let us
know you still use this” spirit:

    - send an email to <[email-masked]> and let us know
      that you still use this command

> +		  "\n"),
> +		command_name, percent_encoded.buf);
> +	strbuf_release(&percent_encoded);
>  	die(_("refusing to run without --i-still-use-this"));
>  }
> --
> 2.51.0.11.g23cedd8a747