linux-kernel - Re: Trailing periods in kernel messages

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Date:	Fri, 21 Dec 2007 11:10:38 +0100 (CET)
From:	Jan Engelhardt <jengelh@...putergmbh.de>
To:	Herbert Xu <herbert@...dor.apana.org.au>
cc:	Alan Cox <alan@...rguk.ukuu.org.uk>, joe@...ches.com,
	davem@...emloft.net, apw@...dowen.org, lizf@...fujitsu.com,
	akpm@...ux-foundation.org, elendil@...net.nl,
	linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org, tglx@...utronix.de,
	trivial@...nel.org, rdunlap@...otime.net, jschopp@...tin.ibm.com
Subject: Re: Trailing periods in kernel messages


On Dec 21 2007 17:56, Herbert Xu wrote:
>> 
>> I do not believe "opinions" are relevant here. Relevant would be cites
>> from respected style guides (Fowlers, Oxford Guide To Style et al.) to
>> show they do not need a full stop. 
>> 
>> I've not found one, but I am open to references.
>
>Well from where I come from, full stops are only used for complete
>sentences.
>[...]
>As to what is a complete sentence, that is debatable.  However,
>typically it would include a subject and a predicate.  By this
>rule the following line is not a complete sentence:
>
>	[XFS] Initialise current offset in xfs_file_readdir correctly
>
>The reason is that it lacks a subject.

"current offset" is your subject.

But I would tend to agree to "(most) kernel messages are not sentences."

Actually, I see it a bit different: (most) kernel messages are more like an
itemized list of what has been done/is going to be done. A *list*!

 * water
 * flour
 * salt
 * yeast or baking powder
 * dough (obviously)

(I'm a programmer, not a cook.) Would you really add a fullstop?

>Of course I would completely agree that some kernel messages
>are complete sentences and should have a full stop.

+1. Those kernel messages which clearly have two or more sentences
obviously have sentences. ("If a device doesn't work, try "pci=routeirq".)

Can we get back to programming?
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