Log messages

Log messages should be brief, fairly high-level summaries of what changed. Instead of saying

$$\mbox{\texttt{changed \%02d to \%02x on line 42}},$$

you should say something more like

$$\mbox{\texttt{Fixed output format bug in function123}}.$$

The first message is too specific; we can get that information through svn diff. On the other hand, you want to say something more detailed than just ``fixed bug.'' Which bug did you fix?

Keep in mind that your log messages are primarily for your own benefit. If you later discover that your fix for a specific bug actually made matters worse, you'll want to roll that back. In order to do that, you'll need the specific revision number(s) for the bugfix in question. Make sure your log messages are complete enough so you can find the right revisions!