Re: [PATCH v3 2/3] CodingGuidelines: hint why we value clearly written log messages

Emily Shaffer [off-list ref] writes:

quoted

+ - Log messages to explain your changes are as important as the
+   changes themselves.  Clearly written code and in-code comments
+   explain how the code works and what is assumed from the surrounding
+   context.  The log messages explain what the changes wanted to
+   achieve and why the changes were necessary (more on this in the
+   accompanying SubmittingPatches document).
+

One thing not listed here, that I often hope to find from the commit
message (and don't), is "why we did it this way instead of <other way>".
I am not sure how to phrase it in this document, though. Maybe:

  The log messages explain what the changes wanted to achieve, any
  decisions that were made between alternative approaches, and why the
  changes were necessary (more on this in blah blah)

Or maybe "...whether any alternative approaches were considered..." fits
the form of the surrounding sentence better.

Quite valid observation.

Documentation/SubmittingPatches::meaningful-message makes a note on
these points, and the above may want to be more aligned to them.

Patches welcome, as these have long been merged to 'master/main'.

Thanks.