[Python-Dev] public visibility of python-dev decisions "before it's too late" (was: PyCObject_AsVoidPtr removed from python 3.2 - is this documented?)

[Guido van Rossum]

On Fri, Mar 11, 2011 at 5:05 PM, Brian Curtin <brian.curtin at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> On Mar 11, 2011 4:52 PM, "Guido van Rossum" <guido at python.org> wrote:
>>
>> On Wed, Mar 9, 2011 at 3:40 PM, Doug Hellmann <doug.hellmann at gmail.com>
>> wrote:
>> >
>> > On Mar 9, 2011, at 9:50 AM, Tim Lesher wrote:
>> >
>> >> On Wed, Mar 9, 2011 at 01:15, Stefan Behnel <stefan_ml at behnel.de>
>> >> wrote:
>> >>> Actually, why not put up a web page of "upcoming changes" somewhere,
>> >>> that
>> >>> lists major decisions with user impact that were taken on python-dev?
>> >>> Including a link to the relevant discussion and decision. Often
>> >>> enough,
>> >>> decisions are taken inside of huge mailing list threads that get
>> >>> off-topic
>> >>> before someone has "the right idea" and everyone who's still there to
>> >>> listen
>> >>> agrees. Even for people lurking around on python-dev, it's easy enough
>> >>> to
>> >>> miss these moments.
>> >>
>> >> We used to do biweekly-ish Python-Dev summaries for this reason.
>> >>
>> >> The original links at python.org appear to be down, but I found an
>> >> example mirrored at
>> >> ftp://ftp.ntua.gr/mirror/python/dev/summary/2005-02-01_2005-02-14.html
>> >>
>> >> Would resuming these and putting them back on python.org address the
>> >> issue?
>> >>
>> >> It's been on my back burner for about two years now, but I want to
>> >> make sure I can keep up before diving in again.
>> >
>> > As Jesse mentioned, this topic came up on the board mailing list
>> > recently for a reason completely unrelated to this thread. As a result of
>> > that discussion, the board has asked me in my capacity as PSF Communications
>> > Director to help the python-dev crew set up a blog (or other forum) through
>> > which you can communicate news about major projects undertaken during
>> > development. This would be in addition to, rather than a replacement for,
>> > individual developer blogs, and would provide an official channel for the
>> > team to talk about projects publicly after they are complete.
>> >
>> > Topics proposed as part of the discussion on the board list included the
>> > hg migration, the new developer's guide, changes to the Mac installer, and
>> > the updated release process for 3.2. Those are just examples, though. This
>> > deprecation would make another good topic, and I'm sure everyone can think
>> > of others. Consider the blog as an analog to the PEP process. Where PEPs
>> > come at the beginning of a project, a blog post would come at a major
>> > milestones or the completion of a project.
>> >
>> > The original request from the board was for the communications team to
>> > write the messages, but I think it is more appropriate for the people doing
>> > the work to talk about it. I will provide editorial guidance to anyone that
>> > wants me to read their posts before they are published, and I will
>> > administer the tool if needed (granting access and moderating comments that
>> > look like spam).
>> >
>> > I asked Michael to add this topic to the agenda for the language summit
>> > tomorrow to get early feedback about whether this group thinks it is a good
>> > idea. I was going to hold discussion for the mailing list until after that
>> > meeting, but since the topic came up on its own please go ahead and respond
>> > here with questions or comments, especially if you won't be in Atlanta
>> > tomorrow. Let's table discussion of tools for now, though, because I want to
>> > make sure there is enough support for the project before we spend too much
>> > energy on implementation details.
>>
>> I propose we try to find an "embedded blogger" who participates in
>> python-dev but is focused on making regular blog posts about the
>> interesting tidbits. There's no requirement to be complete (which I
>> think always weighed the python-dev-summaries task down).
>>
>> Ditto for python-ideas -- it would be nice if it was the same person
>> but doesn't have to be.
>>
>> This might be an opportunity for increasing diversity.
>>
>> --
>> --Guido van Rossum (python.org/~guido)
>
> I'm interested in the task and I guess I'll follow-up with Doug Hellman. I
> don't follow -ideas close enough to summarize it, but I'd contribute to a
> -dev blog.

Awesome! (And we don't need to stop at one blogger. Many hands make light work.)

-- 
--Guido van Rossum (python.org/~guido)