Junio C Hamano [off-list ref] writes:
It took me a while to dig it up because the topic is so old, but
https://public-inbox.org/git/Pine.LNX.4.58.0504251832480.18901@ppc970.osdl.org/
is the thread I had in mind. The idea of rename detection followed
soon afterwards.
... which was this one:
https://public-inbox.org/git/7vr7g4m0lz.fsf_-_@assigned-by-dhcp.cox.net/#t