cvs commit: ports/graphics/netpbm Makefile

[Doug Barton]

On 04/03/2011 13:49, Sahil Tandon wrote:
> On Sun, 2011-04-03 at 13:39:13 -0700, Doug Barton wrote:
>
>> On 4/2/2011 10:57 PM, Sahil Tandon wrote:
>>> I share your rationale for the most part, but I am still unclear about
>>> what some might call an 'edge' case.
>>
>> It sounds to me like what you want are clear, bright lines that we
>> can form policy around. I wish you luck with that. :)
>
> That is not what I want, but I do not fault you for jumping to that
> reasonable conclusion.

Fair enough. Meanwhile it's almost always infinitely easier to get what 
you want if you ask for it. :)

>> Meanwhile, given the way that our ports and packages work bumping
>> PORTREVISION is a blunt tool, and has tradeoffs. IMO ports
>> committers need to have some firm guidelines for the common cases,
>> but also to use their discretion on the edges.
>
> That is all fine and well, but given the nature of these issues, threads
> similar to this one are unavoidable.

I think you're right about that. What I'm not sure about is whether you 
think that's a problem.

> People will always have questions
> about why in case X, a bump wasn't issued while it was in a strikingly
> similar case Y.  And unless there is sufficient discussion of rationale
> in the commit logs, I think that is OK.

I think it's Ok even if there IS adequate justification in the logs. :) 
  We have an influx of new committers, and those who wish to be, so 
periodically re-visiting these topics is useful.

> It is not about bright lines or
> other metaphors, but rather just a desire to understand what motivated a
> bump in one circumstance but not another.

So *now* it sounds like you're asking for better commit logs, which is 
something we definitely agree on. :)  What I learned was that commit 
logs should be about 1/3 "what" (since you can get the full picture from 
the diff if needed) and 2/3 "why." Keeping in mind that the logs need to 
be understood years from now when we're all long gone is always a good 
thing too.


Doug

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