-To disable commit notes, you have to set the config variable
-core.notesRef to the empty string. Alternatively, you can set it
-to a different ref, something like "refs/notes/bugzilla". This setting
-can be overridden by the environment variable "GIT_NOTES_REF".
+A typical use of notes is to extend a commit message without having
+to change the commit itself. Such commit notes can be shown by `git log`
+along with the original commit message. To discern these notes from the
+message stored in the commit object, the notes are indented like the
+message, after an unindented line saying "Notes:".
+
+To disable notes, you have to set the config variable core.notesRef to
+the empty string. Alternatively, you can set it to a different ref,
+something like "refs/notes/bugzilla". This setting can be overridden
+by the environment variable "GIT_NOTES_REF".