From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 Path: main.gmane.org!not-for-mail From: "Alfred M. Szmidt" Newsgroups: gmane.emacs.bugs Subject: Re: add-change-log-entry and add-log-mailing-address Date: Tue, 15 Apr 2003 11:05:35 +0200 Sender: bug-gnu-emacs-bounces+gnu-bug-gnu-emacs=m.gmane.org@gnu.org Message-ID: References: <87of3c8v2q.fsf@jidanni.org> <8765pges36.fsf@jidanni.org> NNTP-Posting-Host: main.gmane.org X-Trace: main.gmane.org 1050398064 14726 80.91.224.249 (15 Apr 2003 09:14:24 GMT) X-Complaints-To: usenet@main.gmane.org NNTP-Posting-Date: Tue, 15 Apr 2003 09:14:24 +0000 (UTC) Cc: bug-gnu-emacs@gnu.org Original-X-From: bug-gnu-emacs-bounces+gnu-bug-gnu-emacs=m.gmane.org@gnu.org Tue Apr 15 11:14:21 2003 Return-path: Original-Received: from monty-python.gnu.org ([199.232.76.173]) by main.gmane.org with esmtp (Exim 3.35 #1 (Debian)) id 195MWD-0003p5-00 for ; Tue, 15 Apr 2003 11:14:21 +0200 Original-Received: from localhost ([127.0.0.1] helo=monty-python.gnu.org) by monty-python.gnu.org with esmtp (Exim 4.10.13) id 195MVN-0006x7-02 for gnu-bug-gnu-emacs@m.gmane.org; Tue, 15 Apr 2003 05:13:29 -0400 Original-Received: from list by monty-python.gnu.org with tmda-scanned (Exim 4.10.13) id 195MVG-0006wv-00 for bug-gnu-emacs@gnu.org; Tue, 15 Apr 2003 05:13:22 -0400 Original-Received: from mail by monty-python.gnu.org with spam-scanned (Exim 4.10.13) id 195MVC-0006wD-00 for bug-gnu-emacs@gnu.org; Tue, 15 Apr 2003 05:13:21 -0400 Original-Received: from lava.bostream.com ([213.79.144.10] helo=mail.bostream.com) by monty-python.gnu.org with esmtp (Exim 4.10.13) id 195MVB-0006w8-00 for bug-gnu-emacs@gnu.org; Tue, 15 Apr 2003 05:13:18 -0400 Original-Received: from lgh163a.kemisten.nu (lgh163a.kemisten.nu [212.32.172.173]) by mail.bostream.com (8.12.4/8.12.1) with ESMTP id h3F95bYl058070; Tue, 15 Apr 2003 11:05:37 +0200 (MEST) Original-Received: from ams by lgh163a.kemisten.nu with local (Exim 3.36 #1 (Debian)) id 195MNj-0008Fq-00; Tue, 15 Apr 2003 11:05:35 +0200 Original-To: Dan Jacobson In-reply-to: <8765pges36.fsf@jidanni.org> (message from Dan Jacobson on Tue, 15 Apr 2003 04:34:21 +0800) X-BeenThere: bug-gnu-emacs@gnu.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1b5 Precedence: list List-Id: Bug reports for GNU Emacs, the Swiss army knife of text editors List-Help: List-Post: List-Subscribe: , List-Archive: List-Unsubscribe: , Errors-To: bug-gnu-emacs-bounces+gnu-bug-gnu-emacs=m.gmane.org@gnu.org Xref: main.gmane.org gmane.emacs.bugs:4795 X-Report-Spam: http://spam.gmane.org/gmane.emacs.bugs:4795 My next of kin has a web page but no email address. Now what? Then the person can't send patches, thus cannot create an ChangeLog entry. So your point is quite useless. Hmm, I bet if we check the logs, 20 years ago you guys were defending putting telephone numbers while we were pushing email addresses. You have a twisted sense of history if you think that. Just take a peek at the ChangeLog's for Emacs they date back to around 1988, before that UUCP was used I think. Anyway, I'm all about choice. So, I was just humbly mentioning that the subject of "what to do if I want my web page's address there instead of (or even in addition to) my email address" should be mentioned in the docs. Put it in the AUTHORS file or put it in your signature, it just does not belong in the ChangeLog. And, lets say I went on a sudden vacation. With just my email address, you would mail into a black hole. With my web page address, you could wistfully enjoy my pages until I got back. What guarantee do I have that you will update your web page? None. So I would be wasting my time watching your lovely web pages, when instead I could be hacking (and waiting at the same time for your reply). Or, let's say I want to ask a VIP a FAQ. Would I want to display my inadeptness so early in the game by emailing him? No, I would go to the FAQ page right there on his web page. If you can visit the web, you can also use a search engine. Which tends to be even faster than what you suggest. Anyways, the docs should mention what to do, in case it is a better solution for some users. I mean the docs shouldn't just assume that all users want email addresses instead of webpages. ChangeLog's is not a document, it is an history log. How about users like "IBM". Would IBM like folks to know a email address instead of a webpage? What users like "IBM"? A single developer from IBM? I would rather have his/hers email than wade through the web maze. Or even worse, I would find an "public relations" email address! How about users unable to come to grips with spam, and are paranoid about leaving email addresses around, or switch regularly, but on the other hand have a healthy web page... the docs should mention what to do in their case. If you are that paranoid, maybe you should talk to the Emacs doctor, he may help you. And what about those lovely spam harvesters that harvest address on web pages? Even more spam for the paranoid folks!