Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!altnet!edc
From: edc@ALTOS.COM (Eric Christensen)
Newsgroups: comp.mail.elm
Subject: Re: Future Elm patches
Keywords: full or self service
Message-ID: <437@altnet.ALTOS.COM>
Date: 13 Jun 88 17:19:07 GMT
References: <1095@bellboy.UUCP> <419@altnet.ALTOS.COM> <144@ists>
Reply-To: edc@altnet.ALTOS.COM (Eric Christensen)
Followup-To: comp.mail.elm
Organization: Altos Computer Systems, San Jose, CA.
Lines: 56

In article <144@ists> mike@ists.yorku.ca (Mike Clarkson) writes:
>In article <419@altnet.ALTOS.COM>, edc@ALTOS.COM (Eric Christensen) writes:
>> Let's post patches
>> to comp.mail.elm so that they can be tested by the test group, and retrieved
>> by anyone else who is really interested. Then, once the test group gives the
>> blessing, the coordinator should make an official patch release to     
>> comp.sources.unix. In some cases, we could even merge multiple patches into
>> one posting to simplify things for the poor guys on the other end (and Rich
>> Salz too.).
>
>Everyone can post comments and patches here, and periodically the coordinator
>can post official patches.  Just like news - I look at everyone elses
>patches to news, but unless it's crucial, I wait for the "official" patches.

Exactly! There is going to be some delay (hopefully < 1 week) getting patches
tested and checked into the RCS (SCCS?) tree. If I'm having a problem which
is seriously effecting my installation, and someone has a patch for it, then
I want it. I'm willing to take the risk of an untested patch, and likewise,
spend the extra effort to remove that patch when an offical one comes out.
But the bottom line is that it's MY option. I can use it, or I can wait for
the coordinator to post the real thing.

>
>> Additionally, let's set up a mailing list of some sort for the testers and 
>> developers. That way we can ensure that everybody knows what's going on 
>> all the time. The "pre-test" patches could be mailed to the testers and
>> developers also.
>
>I don't think this is really necessary. Comp.mail.elm is very low volume
>and we can carry on discussions here quite easily.  Besides it avoids
>a lot of grief that comes with trying to maintain mailing lists.

True, comp.mail.elm is low volume, and it is a pain to maintain a mailing
list, but I don't think we really want the developers and testers sending
crap back and forth via the news group. Especially new code which hasn't 
been tested yet. For example, I'm working on several network related 
enhancements, and a couple of user interface enhancements. I do want the
developers to know what I'm up to, and I do want the testers to check my
stuff out before I release it to the world. But I don't want half implemented
code going out to the world. 

Does this make any sense at all? Or have I been smoking too much "source code
tightly wrapped in 96 column punched cards" ????

Enough mindless dribble for one posting... :-)


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