[python-committers] Some topics I have suggested for the language summit

[Nick Coghlan]

On 13 January 2014 06:29, Terry Reedy <tjreedy at udel.edu> wrote:
> On 1/12/2014 10:47 AM, Nick Coghlan wrote:
>>
>> Working across multiple projects has highlighted for me lately how much
>> unnecessary overhead we're currently dealing with in core development,
>> and how ineffective we are at delegating responsibility for parts of the
>> docs that aren't tied directly to the standard library and interpreter
>> implementation.
>
>
> As far as I know, we have not had any problems with people given socially
> restricted commit privileges over-stepping the restrictions. I think we
> should look* for people who would like /Doc/.../*.rst commit privileges.
> Even in the Language and Library, such people could commit typo and grammar
> changes and technical wording changes submitted or approves by a code
> committer.
>
> * As in post a notice to various python lists. There are multiple
> non-committers who have posted articulately to python-list for years.
> Perhaps a couple would be interested if they knew they would be welcome. I
> would be willing to help people to get started (other than with .rst
> markup).
>
> I would note (to candidates) that doc-only commits are easier than general
> commits. Since the doc tools run with installed python, one does not have to
> do the extra setup needed to build Python itself. Simple changes that do not
> involve .rst markup do not need testing. Markup changes can be tested on the
> local machine; there in no need to monitor buildbots. If a News entry in
> needed (and I think not for spelling and grammar changes), it goes into
> separate section with a low rate of entry and hence a low rate merge
> conflicts.

Yes, that's exactly the kind of thing I have in mind. However, there
would likely need to be some meta-discussions around structure and
authorial "voice", since that's where we sometimes have conflicts even
today, and at the moment, how those are handled varies a fair bit
depending on who originally authored a piece of text.

Cheers,
Nick.

-- 
Nick Coghlan   |   ncoghlan at gmail.com   |   Brisbane, Australia