When entering text to be included in a version control "commit" log, please follow this guide.

• Should your commit be merged to another branch?
• Imagine you're reading this same log message 10 years from now. What would be most helpful for you to quickly recall why these changes were made?
• Imagine someone else is reading this same log message 10 years from now. What would be most helpful for them to quickly understand what this commit changes and why it was done?
• be verbose!
• this is the chance to use time/context sensitive information relevant to the commit
• refer to related content
  • issue tracker items
    • if this commit fixes, for instance, issue tracker item #2642, the very first phrase in the commit log should be FIXED MIFOS-1922 (case & spacing are significant). The build in Hudson which fixes the issue will be linked to from the issue, as well as the commit in version control. Example.
  • mailing list discussions
  • other changesets: "related to trunk changeset r14939"
  • project tracker items:
    • "resolves story #1228"
    • "resolves task #1228"
    • etc.
• More tips from Tim Pope