Re: Plan for inquiries about Emacs changes

["Andreas Röhler" <andreas.roehler@online.de>]

On 25.05.20 06:39, Richard Stallman wrote:
> [[[ To any NSA and FBI agents reading my email: please consider    ]]]
> [[[ whether defending the US Constitution against all enemies,     ]]]
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>
> Here's the method I propose for inquiries (we used to call them "polls")
> about users' views about possible changes in well-known behaviors.
> Any comments or suggestions?
>
>
> * Make a file for the replies to go into.
>
> * Make a mailing address which drops all mail into the file.
>
> * Write a inquiry statement which describes the proposed change in
> sufficient detail that people can judge it, what kind of information
> we seek, and where to email the response.  Include a deadline for
> replies at least 6 weeks in the future.
>
> If possible, we should tell users how to select various behaviors, so
> that they can state their opinions based on comparing actual
> experiences.
>
> End the inquiry statement with the following text.
>
>      We do not seek "votes", but rather understanding.  If you are for
>      the change, please explain why.  Would it help you directly?  If
>      so, in what scenarios?  How often, and how strongly, would it
>      benefit you?  What would the benefit be?
>
>      Or is it that you think it will improve Emacs, or speed Emacs
>      development, by helping other users?  How so?
>
>      Please distinguish between what you know and what you predict.
>
>      Likewise, if you are against the change, please explain why.
>      Would it inconvenience you directly?  If so, in what scenarios?
>      How often, and how strongly, would it inconvenience you?  What
>      would the inconvenience be?
>
>      Or is it that you think it will harm Emacs or Emacs development by
>      inconveniencing others?  How so?
>
>      We invite you also to propose alterations in the proposed change that
>      you think would improve it -- saying in what scenario that would be an
>      improvement, and how so, etc.
>
>      Please post the URL of this page in forums where it is appropriate,
>      and resend it to Emacs users and mailing lists where you know people
>      will be glad to receive it.
>
> It is crucial to urge people repeatedly to explain their positions
> because there is a strong tendency for people not to bother.
>
> * Put the inquiry statement in a web page under gnu.org/software/emacs.
>
> * Mail the inquiry statement info-gnu-emacs, help-gnu-emacs and
> emacs-tangents, with the URL of the web page _and_ the full text
> of the inquiry statement.
>
> Also post a note referring to the web page on reddit.com/r/emacs, and
> any other suitable places.  Mail the URL to Sacha Chua
> <sacha@sachachua.com>.
>
> * Wait until at least two weeks after the deadline, then study and
> record the responses.  Note down all interesting comments, since they
> are the most important information in the responses.
>
> * Do count how many people support each position that people support,
> but it would be a mistake to make the actual decision based simply on
> counting.  A given change can affect one user very often, and affect
> another user only rarely, but they could both state a "strong
> preference".
>
> * We are not compelled to choose between "make that change" and "no
> change".  The best outcome of the inquiry is that the responses show
> us how to design a way to please almost all users, almost all the
> time, and not displease any user very much.
>

What about implementing in a way Python language did:

https://www.python.org/dev/peps

Thanks,

Andreas