Re: MAINTAINERS file

[Richard Stallman <rms@gnu.org>]

    >  The GNU Project is not just a collection of software packages.  Its
    >  intended result is a coherent operating system.  It is particularly
    >  important therefore that GNU packages should work well with other GNU
    >  packages.

    By that reasoning, we all should try using GNU/Hurd, shouldn't we?

If the Hurd were ready for general use, then I would ask everyone
to try it, for that reason.  But it isn't.

That has nothing to do with the case at hand.  You're exaggerating
what I said, then criticizing your exaggeration.  That is just a straw
man.  It is not useful.

    >  The maintainers of one GNU package should use other GNU packages so
    >  they will notice whether the packages work well together, and make
    >  them work well together.

    Perhaps. But if git were used by 90% of users, and Bazaar by 5%

So what?  The decision I've made is for the real situation.

However, but your hypothetical world is relevant in one way: we want
to avoid letting it happen.  By making Emacs support Bzr as well as
possible, and by using Bzr and saying so, we will encourage other
projects to use Bzr, and thus give it a better chance not to end up
with 5%.

    >  Other people don't necessarily see which editor you use,
    >  but they all see what dVCS you use.

    That would be more convincing if every GNU package except by Emacs
    were using Bazaar. Is that so?

You're the one trying to convince me.  I'm just explaining.

You argument seems to say that the GNU Project should never
establish a new convention and ask projects to follow it,
because no package should ever be asked first.


We already know the most important thing about what we will find from
a careful study of git, mercurial and Bzr.  We will find that each has
its advantages and disadvantages -- but none of them conclusive.  Each
will be preferred by some people, but any one of them would work out
well enough.

The best thing to do is to choose the one that is the GNU package is
easier, and get the decision over with.