You are not referring to a config file which is part of the repository, but some local file? Like .gitconfig?

The symlink should be preserved in version 18.1.

Please give more details on what exactly should be excluded?

What exactly is harder? Spotting your name in the author column (that should be easier with less information, IMHO) or following the eyes back to the corresponding commits? In latter case, system property "log.graph.alternatingRowBackgrounds" might be helpful? (Preferences, section Low-level properties)

Did you already try (2)?

(1) If an error occurs, the Output view should come to front (in case it's hidden). (2) If the Output view is not displayed at all, an error window will show up. I guess (2) should be what you are looking for.

This entire topic may be related to the way you use tags: for instance, we are pushing tags immediately on creation, because we consider tags to be server-side always and don't have "local tags". Anything which is local will be a branch.