Is it ok to correct spelling / grammar in a debug message?

[sethmachine]

Hi,

If I'm working on a large scale project and I find a grammar / spelling error in a debug message that was written by someone else (i.e. my boss), is it OK to make a commit to fix that message?

I am not sure it's very tactful or smart because:

(1) Why are you busy fixing trivial stuff instead of actually contributing new stuff to the project?

(2) A whole commit just to fix a grammar / spelling error?

My boss makes frequent spelling / grammar mistakes (but he's a linguist and by all means a genius), I never ever correct him except in the files that I also work in (where I am making actual code changes and not just changing a debug message).

So I am guessing I should only make that grammar fix if I also begin working in that file on something else? This commit otherwise would be silly:

"fixed a few spelling / grammar mistakes in the debug message"

 

[Ralle]

Why not ask the boss?

 

[Dr Super Good]

Debug messages are exactly what they say on the tin, a debug message. They are mostly there just to be printed so you know what is happening in a debug build/mode without having to resort to physically running a debugger. If the grammar is correct makes no difference as the message is distinct and shows the logic that is happening.

It is not like clients will see these messages. A slight grammar mistake is no big deal as only the software engineers writing it will see it and you still know what it is meant to mean.

An entire commit for such a small development only change is not worth it. That is the sort of thing you fix if ever you are fixing something else in the code file but not something that is important to fix.

That is unless clients run in debug mode in which case it is a good idea to fix (since then they will see the error).

 

[fladdermasken]

The tree of evil bears bitter fruit. Now trashing program disk.

 

[Statharas]

Hey, here are some of my debug messages:
"Yey, I made it!"
"lel dis no werk"
"lel i fukkd up""
"lel weert"
"derp"
"AMAGAD"
"YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEY"

Mainly 'cause these are things only I am going to see. If I'm releasing some software, I am putting clearly defined error messages; "Error 1" is a mere error in my app that means that my software did not connect to the internet successfully

Naturally, in a workplace, I'd have the same problem as you. I'd just hide the change behind actual code changes

 

[Ralle]

A commit in a versioning system must have a single goal. Changing comments/messages in one file and then adding a feature in another is not the way to do it, they should be two different commits.
So either change these messages and make a single commit or wait until you actually edit the lines around the grammar mistake and change that too.