[Python-Dev] We should be using a tool for code reviews

[exarkun at twistedmatrix.com]

On 02:47 pm, jnoller at gmail.com wrote:
>On Wed, Sep 29, 2010 at 2:32 PM, Guido van Rossum <guido at python.org> 
>wrote:
>>I would like to recommend that the Python core developers start using
>>a code review tool such as Rietveld or Reviewboard. I don't really
>>care which tool we use (I'm sure there are plenty of pros and cons to
>>each) but I do think we should get out of the stone age and start
>>using a tool for the majority of our code reviews.
>>
>>While I would personally love to see Rietveld declared the official
>>core Python code review tool, I realize that since I wrote as a Google
>>engineer and it is running on Google infrastructure (App Engine), I
>>can't be fully objective about the tool choice -- even though it is
>>open source, has several non-Googler maintainers, and can be run
>>outside App Engine as well.
>>
>>But I do think that using a specialized code review tool rather than
>>unstructured email plus a general-purpose issue tracker can hugely
>>improve developer performance and also increase community
>>participation. (A code review tool makes it much more convenient for a
>>senior reviewer to impart their wisdom to a junior developer without
>>appearing judgmental or overbearing.)
>>
>>See also this buzz thread:
>>http://www.google.com/buzz/115212051037621986145/At6Rj82Kret/When- 
>>will-the-Python-dev-community-start-using
>>
>>--
>>--Guido van Rossum (python.org/~guido)
>
>Regardless of the tool(s) used, code reviews are a fantastic
>equalizer. If you have long time, experienced developers "submitting"
>to the same rules that newer contributors have to follow then it helps
>remove the idea that there is special treatment occurring.

Of course, this is only true if the core developers *do* submit to the 
same rules.  Is anyone proposing that current core committers have all 
their work reviewed before it is accepted?

(I am strongly in favor of this, but I don't think many core committers 
are.)

Jean-Paul