Re: doc patch: "Saving Properties" merge into "Format Conversion"

[Thien-Thi Nguyen <ttn@gnuvola.org>]

() Richard Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
() Sun, 06 May 2007 18:25:40 -0400

   When and how to make a release is a question for the maintainer
   to decide, and I'm the maintainer.

maintaining the source code requires transparency of source code
manipulation; maintaining the peace requires transparency of intent.

what frustrates people is insufficiency in the latter, not because they
wish to take away the decision from the maintainer, but because they
wish to organize their (parallel, unrelated to the release) efforts
best.

not taking the seething into account is the difference between hardware
and software engineers: in hardware, one-armed-if is a latent bug; even
when you don't care, it's better to explicitly don't care.

practically speaking, i think you would be wise as the maintainer to
declare the trunk open to full-fledged non-release-related hacking, and
confine edits slated only for the release to a branch.  (if that branch
is not yet in place, make it immediately, then declare the trunk open.)

that's all i have to say on the matter.

thi