[webkit-dev] I *HATE* CHANGELOGS!!!

[Benjamin Meyer]

On Aug 26, 2009, at 8:44 PM, Maciej Stachowiak wrote:

>
> On Aug 26, 2009, at 5:38 PM, Geoffrey Garen wrote:
>
>>> Detailed descriptions, bug links, test instructions, and a link  
>>> back to the entire original review history are all part of  
>>> Chromium commits, yet we don't use ChangeLogs.  I think discipline  
>>> about what to include + tooling to support it are orthogonal to a  
>>> project's use of a ChangeLog as the mechanism for conveying this  
>>> information.
>>
>> [This question not necessarily just for Peter:]
>>
>> If we removed the discipline of reviewing ChangeLogs, and the tools  
>> that autogenerate a ChangeLog template and check for a ChangeLog  
>> entry without an "OOPs I didn't get this reviewed" message, what  
>> would we replace them with?
>
> I can imagine a discipline where we ensure that pending commit  
> entries sit in a designated file in your tree, are made by a tool  
> much like prepare-ChangeLog, are included in patches by svn-create- 
> patch, are applied by svn-apply-patch, and are used by commit-log- 
> editor. That would ensure the entries go through the patch life  
> cycle just as much as currently.
>
> Another possibility is to have a review site (bugzilla?) be the  
> canonical place for log entries until they get committed. At commit  
> time, a tool would pull from this location.
>
> Regards,
> Maciej

When working with Git the patch includes the commit message so it is  
reviewed with the patch.   I always try to have the changelog and  
commit message be the exact same and it seems like most others do the  
same.  Writing up the process of how a commit to webkit happens the  
changelogs were the number one place that could cause errors to be  
introduced from what I could tell (and what others have already  
mentioned on the list).  Beyond the pain and wasted time given that  
the changelog could be generated if really needed by someone it also  
duplicates what should be in the commit message which violates DRY so  
I also give a big +1 to the hate of changelogs.

-Benjamin Meyer