[FFmpeg-devel] [PATCH 3/3] State that the policy should not be changed without public discussion.

[Ivan Kalvachev]

On 10/8/10, Stefano Sabatini <stefano.sabatini-lala at poste.it> wrote:
> ---
>  doc/developer.texi |    4 ++--
>  1 files changed, 2 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)
>
> diff --git a/doc/developer.texi b/doc/developer.texi
> index 575862c..256787b 100644
> --- a/doc/developer.texi
> +++ b/doc/developer.texi
> @@ -149,8 +149,8 @@ should also be avoided if they don't make the code
> easier to understand.
>     Also if you have doubts about splitting or not splitting, do not
> hesitate to
>     ask/discuss it on the developer mailing list.
>  @item
> -   Do not change behavior of the programs (renaming or removing or
> -   changing or adding options etc) or public
> +   Do not change the development policy or or the behavior of the programs
> +   (renaming or removing or changing or adding options etc) or public
>     API or ABI without first discussing it on the ffmpeg-devel mailing list.
>     Do not remove functionality from the code. Just improve!

"or or" ? ;)

At first read, I thought that the enumeration in the brackets applied
to types of development policy too. In the above wording, it seems
like policy and behavior are somehow related. Out of context they are,
but in this context they are completely separate things, and this is
what causes confusion.


After giving it some more thought, I don't think that merely
discussing something is enough safeguard. I propose something like
this:
---
+Do not change the development policy without approval from the
project leader and most of the developers.
   Do not change behavior of the programs (renaming or removing or
---

In many democratic countries the president have the power to veto laws
created by the parliament/senate.
Also making it separate text would allow its further expansion (as it
will inevitably happen).