git does not use sensible-editor when EDITOR not defined

[Deactivated User]

Binary package hint: git-core

git does not use sensible-editor as a fallback when $EDITOR is not defined, instead falling back on the system editor. Git should try $EDITOR, sensible-editor, and then editor in that order instead of $EDITOR, editor as it does now.

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

Status changed to 'Confirmed' because the bug affects multiple users.

[Richard Laager (rlaager)]

Despite the Debian bug which says this was fixed in 1:1.5.3~rc4-1, this is still a problem in 1:1.9.1-1ubuntu0.1 on Ubuntu Trusty.

[Anders Kaseorg (andersk)]

Git uses /usr/bin/editor as the fallback editor, in accordance with Debian Policy:

https://www.debian.org/doc/debian-policy/ch-customized-programs.html#s11.4

“Thus, every program that launches an editor or pager must use the EDITOR or PAGER environment variable to determine the editor or pager the user wishes to use. If these variables are not set, the programs /usr/bin/editor and /usr/bin/pager should be used, respectively.

If it is very hard to adapt a program to make use of the EDITOR or PAGER variables, that program may be configured to use /usr/bin/sensible-editor and /usr/bin/sensible-pager as the editor or pager program respectively.”

Since Git does make use of the EDITOR variable, this policy requires Git to fall back to /usr/bin/editor, not /usr/bin/sensible-editor.