@@ -18,6 +18,15 @@ def __init__(self, name, email):
 		self.name = name
 		self.email = email
 
+	def __eq__(self, other):
+		return self.name == other.name and self.email == other.email
+		
+	def __ne__(self, other):
+		return not (self == other)
+		
+	def __hash__(self):
+		return hash((self.name, self.email))
+
 	def __str__(self):
 		return self.name
 
 
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ def _set_cache_(self, attr):
 			# prepare our data lines to match rev-list
 			data_lines = self.data.splitlines()
 			data_lines.insert(0, "commit %s" % self.id)
-			temp = self._iter_from_process_or_stream(self.repo, iter(data_lines)).next()
+			temp = self._iter_from_process_or_stream(self.repo, iter(data_lines), False).next()
 			self.parents = temp.parents
 			self.tree = temp.tree
 			self.author = temp.author
@@ -111,7 +111,8 @@ def count(self, paths='', **kwargs):
 			to commits actually containing the paths
 
 		``kwargs``
-			Additional options to be passed to git-rev-list
+			Additional options to be passed to git-rev-list. They must not alter
+			the ouput style of the command, or parsing will yield incorrect results
 		Returns
 			int
 		"""
@@ -144,9 +145,8 @@ def iter_items(cls, repo, rev, paths='', **kwargs):
 		options = {'pretty': 'raw', 'as_process' : True }
 		options.update(kwargs)
 
-		# the test system might confront us with string values - 
 		proc = repo.git.rev_list(rev, '--', paths, **options)
-		return cls._iter_from_process_or_stream(repo, proc)
+		return cls._iter_from_process_or_stream(repo, proc, True)
 
 	def iter_parents(self, paths='', **kwargs):
 		"""
@@ -191,7 +191,7 @@ def stats(self):
 		return stats.Stats._list_from_string(self.repo, text)
 
 	@classmethod
-	def _iter_from_process_or_stream(cls, repo, proc_or_stream):
+	def _iter_from_process_or_stream(cls, repo, proc_or_stream, from_rev_list):
 		"""
 		Parse out commit information into a list of Commit objects
 
@@ -201,17 +201,20 @@ def _iter_from_process_or_stream(cls, repo, proc_or_stream):
 		``proc``
 			git-rev-list process instance (raw format)
 
+		``from_rev_list``
+			If True, the stream was created by rev-list in which case we parse 
+			the message differently
 		Returns
 			iterator returning Commit objects
 		"""
 		stream = proc_or_stream
 		if not hasattr(stream,'next'):
 			stream = proc_or_stream.stdout
 
-		
 		for line in stream:
-			id = line.split()[1]
-			assert line.split()[0] == "commit"
+			commit_tokens = line.split() 
+			id = commit_tokens[1]
+			assert commit_tokens[0] == "commit"
 			tree = stream.next().split()[1]
 
 			parents = []
@@ -231,13 +234,20 @@ def _iter_from_process_or_stream(cls, repo, proc_or_stream):
 			stream.next()
 
 			message_lines = []
-			next_line = None
-			for msg_line in stream:
-				if not msg_line.startswith('    '):
-					break
-				# END abort message reading 
-				message_lines.append(msg_line.strip())
-			# END while there are message lines
+			if from_rev_list:
+				for msg_line in stream:
+					if not msg_line.startswith('    '):
+						# and forget about this empty marker
+						break
+					# END abort message reading 
+					# strip leading 4 spaces
+					message_lines.append(msg_line[4:])
+				# END while there are message lines
+			else:
+				# a stream from our data simply gives us the plain message
+				for msg_line in stream:
+					message_lines.append(msg_line)
+			# END message parsing
 			message = '\n'.join(message_lines)
 
 			yield Commit(repo, id=id, parents=tuple(parents), tree=tree, author=author, authored_date=authored_date,
 
@@ -13,6 +13,14 @@ def test_from_string_should_separate_name_and_email(self):
 		a = Actor._from_string("Michael Trier <mtrier@example.com>")
 		assert_equal("Michael Trier", a.name)
 		assert_equal("mtrier@example.com", a.email)
+		
+		# base type capabilities
+		assert a == a
+		assert not ( a != a )
+		m = set()
+		m.add(a)
+		m.add(a)
+		assert len(m) == 1
 
 	def test_from_string_should_handle_just_name(self):
 		a = Actor._from_string("Michael Trier")
 
@@ -16,6 +16,9 @@ def test_bake(self):
 
 		assert_equal("Sebastian Thiel", commit.author.name)
 		assert_equal("byronimo@gmail.com", commit.author.email)
+		assert commit.author == commit.committer
+		assert isinstance(commit.authored_date, int) and isinstance(commit.committed_date, int)
+		assert commit.message == "Added missing information to docstrings of commit and stats module"
 
 
 	def test_stats(self):
@@ -37,6 +40,14 @@ def check_entries(d):
 			check_entries(d)
 		# END for each stated file
 
+		# assure data is parsed properly
+		michael = Actor._from_string("Michael Trier <mtrier@gmail.com>")
+		assert commit.author == michael
+		assert commit.committer == michael
+		assert commit.authored_date == 1210193388
+		assert commit.committed_date == 1210193388
+		assert commit.message == "initial project"
+		
 	@patch_object(Git, '_call_process')
 	def test_rev_list_bisect_all(self, git):
 		"""
@@ -52,7 +63,7 @@ def test_rev_list_bisect_all(self, git):
 									  bisect_all=True)
 		assert_true(git.called)
 
-		commits = Commit._iter_from_process_or_stream(self.rorepo, ListProcessAdapter(revs))
+		commits = Commit._iter_from_process_or_stream(self.rorepo, ListProcessAdapter(revs), True)
 		expected_ids = (
 			'cf37099ea8d1d8c7fbf9b6d12d7ec0249d3acb8b',
 			'33ebe7acec14b25c5f84f35a664803fcab2f7781',