[ros-dev] [Vote] Top-level source header

[Casper Hornstrup]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: ros-dev-bounces at reactos.org [mailto:ros-dev-bounces at reactos.org] On Behalf Of Royce Mitchell
> III
> Sent: 27. november 2005 18:35
> To: ReactOS Development List
> Subject: Re: [ros-dev] [Vote] Top-level source header
> 
> Every time we have a disagreement, we put up a vote so the group can
> decide "this is how it's going to be". What I fear is going to happen is
> the next time someone oversteps something we've voted on, now people
> have an excuse to publically lampoon that person. This is only going to
> drive away developers. ReactOS is still a hobby OS. It's an open source
> project that most of us do because we love the vision of ReactOS and
> mostly because it's fun and rewarding to make it better.

A project rule doesn't give you the right to ridicule people. It merely
says "this it the way we do it" until such time that the rule is changed.
It's a fact of life that within a group of people there will be disputes,
so we need a way to resolve these disputes and currently we have voting
to do that. If you know of a more effective method than voting then feel
free to share it.

By making project rules we can better avoid the "I'll rewrite it this way
because my way is better" class of changes. Without project rules, it is
the last one to commit that "wins".

> Today, we're voting the exact allowed format of headers - for which
> somebody is going to have the excruciatingly boring job of changing all
> the headers that are non-compliant. What if a year from now we have 30
> more developers and enough are dissatisfied with the header and a new
> vote is taken that changes the format. We're wasting a lot of time and
> energy over something that really doesn't matter! Who cares what the
> format of the header is, really? As long as it conveys the necessary
> copyright information, the rest is fluff.

Apparently you do as you just stated that there should be copyright
information in the header.

> What if someone *wants* or feels the need to put more?
> Now he's going to be penalized because he
> added something unofficial to the official header. This is foolishness.

That's what comments are for.

> I'll give a good example of what I'm talking about. We've had various
> heated discussions in the past regarding the subject of code styling.
> Some have proposed to vote on an official style. I and a couple others
> have fought vehemently against setting a hard standard. We all use
> different editors that we're comfortable and most efficient in. And each
> editor has different weaknesses regarding certain code styles. The most
> often proposed code style is poorly handled by the editor I use by
> default, for example.

That you or someone else don't like a change shouldn't prevent someone
else from trying to make that change. Which person or persons should
decide which changes shouldn't be allowed to be proposed? If you don't
like what someone else proposes, then you can use your right to vote to
stop that change within the project.

> I think this vote should be cancelled. It has no place in our policies
> and guidelines. Now, if someone wants to step up and pay me for my time
> to develop ReactOS, then I'll happily submit to all the coding
> strictures they feel are necessary. It'd be my place to interject where
> I think they are wrong, but as a paid employee it wouldn't be my place
> to ignore or rebel against them. Until that day, we need to keep ReactOS
> a fun project to work - we've got too much work to do for it to be any
> other way.
> 
> I say it again, I think this vote is wrong, and should be cancelled and
> rethought.
> 
> Peace,
> 
> Royce

Sorry, I can't do that. Feel free to vote Further Discussion though
and/or put up a new vote with a proposal to "let the developer
choose/change/remove the contents of the headers at his will".

Casper