Make Module 6 make-conflict.sh labels position-neutral (they're inverted vs the marker sides) #37

New Issue

2026-06-22T14:23:55-04:00

claude commented

2026-06-22 14:23:55 -04:00

Problem

make-conflict.sh writes self-describing guidance ("KEEP THE LEFT VERSION" / "KEEP THE RIGHT VERSION") but merges branch A into branch B with B as HEAD, so "KEEP THE RIGHT VERSION" lands on the TOP/ours side and "KEEP THE LEFT VERSION" on the bottom/incoming side. A learner reading the marker text as an instruction is told the opposite of where each version sits — and the lab teaches the vertical inline-marker format (top/bottom), not a side-by-side left/right view.

Evidence

modules/06-branches-sandboxes-for-experiments/lab/make-conflict.sh line 49 (branch A): printf 'KEEP THE LEFT VERSION'; line 56 (branch B): 'KEEP THE RIGHT VERSION'. Actual output: <<<<<<< HEAD / KEEP THE RIGHT VERSION / ======= / KEEP THE LEFT VERSION / >>>>>>> practice/conflict-a.

Why it matters

The teaching artifact whose purpose is to demonstrate conflict-marker orientation aids backwards, in the exact module about resolving conflicts.

Proposed change

Make the labels position-neutral so they can't be misread as instructions, e.g. "practice line added on branch A" / "practice line added on branch B" (the learner is supposed to decide which to keep). This drops the false left/right axis and the imperative framing while keeping the two versions distinguishable.

Acceptance criteria

The conflict marker labels no longer assert a left/right position or an imperative "keep this one."
The two versions remain clearly distinguishable by branch.

Affected files

modules/06-branches-sandboxes-for-experiments/lab/make-conflict.sh

References

Source finding F19 (realVotes 3/3).

Filed from an adversarial multi-agent course review (217 raw findings → 54 adversarially-verified survivors). Scoped for manual review; intentionally not auto-assigned to an agent.

## Problem `make-conflict.sh` writes self-describing guidance ("KEEP THE LEFT VERSION" / "KEEP THE RIGHT VERSION") but merges branch A into branch B with B as HEAD, so "KEEP THE RIGHT VERSION" lands on the TOP/ours side and "KEEP THE LEFT VERSION" on the bottom/incoming side. A learner reading the marker text as an instruction is told the opposite of where each version sits — and the lab teaches the vertical inline-marker format (top/bottom), not a side-by-side left/right view. ## Evidence `modules/06-branches-sandboxes-for-experiments/lab/make-conflict.sh` line 49 (branch A): `printf 'KEEP THE LEFT VERSION'`; line 56 (branch B): `'KEEP THE RIGHT VERSION'`. Actual output: `<<<<<<< HEAD / KEEP THE RIGHT VERSION / ======= / KEEP THE LEFT VERSION / >>>>>>> practice/conflict-a`. ## Why it matters The teaching artifact whose purpose is to demonstrate conflict-marker orientation aids backwards, in the exact module about resolving conflicts. ## Proposed change Make the labels position-neutral so they can't be misread as instructions, e.g. "practice line added on branch A" / "practice line added on branch B" (the learner is supposed to decide which to keep). This drops the false left/right axis and the imperative framing while keeping the two versions distinguishable. ## Acceptance criteria - [ ] The conflict marker labels no longer assert a left/right position or an imperative "keep this one." - [ ] The two versions remain clearly distinguishable by branch. ## Affected files - `modules/06-branches-sandboxes-for-experiments/lab/make-conflict.sh` ## References Source finding F19 (realVotes 3/3). --- *Filed from an adversarial multi-agent course review (217 raw findings → 54 adversarially-verified survivors). Scoped for manual review; intentionally not auto-assigned to an agent.*