Re: inadequate/inconsisten 'help pkg' message; problems with downloading

[Sergei Steshenko]

--- On Sun, 8/7/11, Ben Abbott <address@hidden> wrote:

> From: Ben Abbott <address@hidden>
> Subject: Re: inadequate/inconsisten 'help pkg' message; problems with 
> downloading

[snip]

> The version of pkg.m you are referencing is different than
> that in the developer's souces (default branch).

This is none of my business. I work with _releases_. I do not chase
moving targets which are called "developers sources".

> 
> If you were to provide a diff instead, it would likely be
> possible to apply it to the developers sources.  As it
> is, someone (me) will have to look through the sources and
> edit them manually.
> 

[snip]

I do not know how to better explain it. I care about _my_ comfort.
Interrupting _my_ work flow for running 'diff' is not the pleasure/comfort
I am looking for.

> Including a diff is a simple task. Attaching the original
> pkg.m without the line numbers is even easier. With all the
> line numbers included someone will have to either (1)
> copy-n-paste that into an editor, (2) remove all the line
> numbers, (3) create changeset/diff, and (4) push it to the
> tracker ... or just ignore your email.

Line number are included _intentionally_. Line numbers allow to refer
to pieces of code using the numbers, rather than describing the code
or copy-pasting it time and again. I mentioned reviewing, didn't I ?
During reviewing line numbers _help_.

As I wrote earlier, ignoring my Emails/code changes is quite an option.

Also, I _never_ believed in automatic patch application. That is, I know
that technically it works, but it may not work semantically.

Suppose you have a file, and in it you have the following lines:

3 foo = 1;
4
5
6 bar = 2;

Suppose somebody wants on line #4 to add "a = 3;". The merging tool will
gladly do it - there is no conflict.

Suppose somebody else wants on line #5 so add: "a = 4;". Again, the merging
tool will gladly do it - there is no conflict.

So in the end we'll have:

3 foo = 1;
4 a = 3;
5 a = 4;
6 bar = 2;

- which is wrong. I.e. either "a = 3;" or "a = 4;" is correct, but not
both. But there will be _no_ warnings - because there were no conflicts.

That's why I by default ignore all the lamenting difficulties of applying
the patches automatically.

> 
> I have no intent so elevate or insult, but why are you
> making this so painful?
> 

[snip]

Hopefully my comments above explain why I do not want to make _my_ life
painful working your way. So, don't push me. I'll release the whole
'pkg.m' when I feel I'm ready, and I'll release a diff with the
_released_ version, not the development sources.

> Ben
> 

--Sergei.