Comment 1:

One workaround is to comment out code with if false { } instead of /* */.

Comment 2:

Or for import X, write at the top level
var _ X.SomethingInX // Delete before committing.
http://golang.org/doc/go_faq.html#unused_variables_and_imports

Status changed to WorkingAsIntended.

Comment 3:

In case someone reads this in the hope of finding a practical and reasonable way I
suggest replacing the two yyerrorl() in question with warnl().
--- a/src/cmd/gc/lex.c  Mon Jun 25 08:54:36 2012 -0700
+++ b/src/cmd/gc/lex.c  Tue Jun 26 09:03:15 2012 +0200
@@ -2187,7 +2187,7 @@
                    // errors if a conflicting top-level name is
                    // introduced by a different file.
                    if(!s->def->used && !nsyntaxerrors)
-                       yyerrorl(s->def->lineno, "imported and not used: \"%Z\"", s->def->pkg->path);
+                       warnl(s->def->lineno, "[W] imported and not used: \"%Z\"", s->def->pkg->path);
                    s->def = N;
                    continue;
                }
@@ -2195,7 +2195,7 @@
                    // throw away top-level name left over
                    // from previous import . "x"
                    if(s->def->pack != N && !s->def->pack->used && !nsyntaxerrors) {
-                       yyerrorl(s->def->pack->lineno, "imported and not used: \"%Z\"",
s->def->pack->pkg->path);
+                       warnl(s->def->pack->lineno, "[W] imported and not used: \"%Z\"",
s->def->pack->pkg->path);
                        s->def->pack->used = 1;
                    }
                    s->def = N;

Comment 4 by cornelius.howl:

I agree, it really decreases my productivity when doing development.
Can we also do warning for unused variable? I think warnings would be more appropriate
for these unused variables.
Please consider making this error a warning instead (yyerrorl -> warnl), or switchable
via flag: -dev, -devmode or something.

Comment 5:

http://tip.golang.org/doc/effective_go.html#blank

Labels changed: added restrict-addissuecomment-commit.