Re: Is it time to drop ChangeLogs?

[Eric S. Raymond]

Nikolaus Rath <address@hidden>:
> On Mar 07 2016, Eli Zaretskii <address@hidden> wrote:
> >> I want to choose the path that works for the core developers, and
> >> will make Emacs more welcoming to new contributors.
> >
> > It is IMO a grave mistake to remove parts of our development process
> > just because they need to be learned by new contributors.  The result
> > will be increased burden on the shoulders of those who review the
> > submissions, due to the need to coach them, catch their mistakes, ask
> > for re-submissions, etc.
> 
> When I submitted my first Emacs patch, I was astonished when I was asked
> to re-submit with my commit message essentially duplicated in the
> ChangeLog.
> 
> How can it be an increased burden if reviewers have to review just one
> thing (the commit message) instead of two (commit message and
> ChangeLog)?

This +1000

ChangeLogs are *absurd* under present-day conditions.  They are functional
only as a kind of tribal commitment signal.
-- 
                <a href="http://www.catb.org/~esr/";>Eric S. Raymond</a>