Re: [PATCH] Allow setting default diff options via diff.defaultOptions

Johannes,

On Thu, 9 Apr 2009, Johannes Schindelin wrote:

In the case of format-patch, though, I am pretty certain that I do not want 
any diff.defaultOptions: the output is almost always intended for machine 
consumption, so it is a different kind of cattle.

Just to clarify:  I agree.  I certainly would never want diff.defaultOptions to 
affect format-patch, and none of my patches did so.  The reason I brought up 
format-patch is because, without an opt_out mechanism, it's harder for the user 
to use `git diff` to produce patch output identical to format-patch.

Now, it is easy to put a patch on top of my patch to support something like 
--no-defaults.

With all due respect sir, I think you would find that if you sit down and 
attempt to add such functionality on top of your version, it would be an 
unpleasant experience.  I predict the code would quickly turn inelegant and 
fragile.  I believe it would prompt you to consider a redesign (assuming you 
work and think quickly, after about 15 minutes), and the obvious solution would 
closely resemble my v3:
  http://comments.gmane.org/gmane.comp.version-control.git/114021

                             -- Keith