Re: [PATCH] allow user aliases for the --author parameter

Alex Riesen, Thu, Aug 21, 2008 19:41:18 +0200:

Michael J Gruber, Thu, Aug 21, 2008 11:19:41 +0200:

quoted

This allows the use of author abbreviations when specifying commit
authors via the --author option to git commit. "--author=$key" is
resolved by looking up "user.$key.name" and "user.$key.email" in the
config.

Isn't there existing well-known formats for mail aliases?
For instance, Mutt uses simple text file:

    alias nickname1 Author Name <mail@address>
    alias nickname2 "Author Name 2" <mail2@address>

I don't know how well-known this is, but is surely more known than
git's config (and there are aliases in that format already).
Maybe just reference such files in git's config?

Oh, and you may consider using .mailmap files (look into the Git's
one for example): the user part of mail address is very often a good
alias (and sometimes famous nickname) of a person: junio, tytso,
davem, alan, viro, hpa... You'll have to define some rules for
duplications, of course (first wins seems to be popular).