[Python-Dev] View tracker patches with ViewVC?

[Alexander Belopolsky]

On Tue, Jul 27, 2010 at 1:19 PM, Terry Reedy <tjreedy at udel.edu> wrote:
..
> A couple of days ago, I got an email that a doc issue I opened was now
> closed with revxxxxx, patch never posted to the tracker. I followed the
> link, saw the [text] button, and got the page with the colored, side-by-side
> display. I thought, "Wow, I wish I could see patches like this while
> reviewing, before they are committed!". And to do so just as easily, with
> one click. (As it turns out, the patch needed review because it had a minor
> error, but that is another issue.)

Multicolored diffs may look impressive the first time you see them,
but they are not really that useful at the patch review stage.  With a
text link I often do curl <url> | patch -p0 with <url> pasted after
"copy link".  That would not work with a rev-style link.  Copying code
from side by side view may or may not work depending on your browser.
 Even with doc patches, for a serious review you need to apply and
compile the patch (make html in case of the docs.)

Post-commit rev NNNN link offers much more than a nice diff: it shows
comments, allows you to explore the history etc.   Colored diffs do
help spotting spelling mistakes, but there is not much harm in finding
them post-commit.