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Posted to dev@flex.apache.org by Justin Mclean <ju...@classsoftware.com> on 2015/03/20 04:00:07 UTC
Author tags in SDK code
Hi,
While looking though the the Flex SDK code I noticed a lot of author tags (and some email addresses). This is generally frowned upon at Apache see for example [1][2][3][4]. (These probably should of been cleaned up at donation.) Anyway I've gone and removed most of them and will check in shortly. However I'm not 100% sure what should be done to the ones (1000+) in the files in the modules\thirdparty directory. Any suggestions?
Thanks,
Justin
1. http://www.apache.org/foundation/records/minutes/2004/board_minutes_2004_09_22.txt (read 7F)
2. http://opensource.com/law/14/2/copyright-statements-source-files
3. https://issues.apache.org/jira/issues/?jql=text%20~%20%22remove%20%40author%20tags%22
4. https://issues.apache.org/jira/issues/?jql=text%20~%20%22%40author%20tags%22
Re: Author tags in SDK code
Posted by Justin Mclean <ju...@classsoftware.com>.
Hi,
> I'd rather leave author tags in third-party code, unless they refer to
> Flex committers.
Sounds reasonable to me. I was thinking of checking the current version of each 3rd party project and seeing if they had removed the tags and using that as a guide.
> FWIW the main reason to avoid author tags is to avoid users contacting
> committers directly, we want them to get in touch with the project
> instead.
Many of the author tags I removed also contained (non apache) email addresses. On a similar subject I did run into this recently. [1]
> And many of our files have multiple authors anyway.
Quite a few of the files had multiple author tags (now removed).
Thanks,
Justin
1. https://github.com/mackyle/sqlite/blob/3cf493d4018042c70a4db733dd38f96896cd825f/src/os.h#L52
Re: Author tags in SDK code
Posted by Chris Mattmann <ma...@apache.org>.
Hi Everyone,
Just wanted to introduce myself - I’m Chris Mattmann, I lead
teams that build scientific computing systems at NASA; I teach
Search Engines & Information Retrieval @ USC; and I am a member
of the ASF and one of its current Directors.
/me waves
To this particular issue, I agree with Bertrand; no need to
remove author tags from 3rd party code (and in fact, if I
were one of the devs of those codes, that wouldn’t be cool).
Anyways I’m going to be hanging out here for a bit and so I’ll
try and chime in if I have anything that can possibly contribute
to the conversation.
Thanks!
Cheers,
Chris
-----Original Message-----
From: Bertrand Delacretaz <bd...@apache.org>
Reply-To: "dev@flex.apache.org" <de...@flex.apache.org>
Date: Friday, March 20, 2015 at 2:17 AM
To: "dev@flex.apache.org" <de...@flex.apache.org>
Subject: Re: Author tags in SDK code
>Hi,
>
>On Fri, Mar 20, 2015 at 8:53 AM, Justin Mclean <ju...@classsoftware.com>
>wrote:
>> ...The reason I haven't yet removed them from that particular location
>>is that it
>> contains (Apache licensed) 3rd party code and I'm not 100% sure if we
>>can remove
>> them or not....
>
>I'd rather leave author tags in third-party code, unless they refer to
>Flex committers.
>
>Flex committers are expected to see those changes, but third-party
>developers won't see them, generally, so you could argue that it's not
>fair to them to remove the tags without notice.
>
>FWIW the main reason to avoid author tags is to avoid users contacting
>committers directly, we want them to get in touch with the project
>instead. And many of our files have multiple authors anyway.
>
>-Bertrand
Re: Author tags in SDK code
Posted by Bertrand Delacretaz <bd...@apache.org>.
Hi,
On Fri, Mar 20, 2015 at 8:53 AM, Justin Mclean <ju...@classsoftware.com> wrote:
> ...The reason I haven't yet removed them from that particular location is that it
> contains (Apache licensed) 3rd party code and I'm not 100% sure if we can remove
> them or not....
I'd rather leave author tags in third-party code, unless they refer to
Flex committers.
Flex committers are expected to see those changes, but third-party
developers won't see them, generally, so you could argue that it's not
fair to them to remove the tags without notice.
FWIW the main reason to avoid author tags is to avoid users contacting
committers directly, we want them to get in touch with the project
instead. And many of our files have multiple authors anyway.
-Bertrand
Re: Author tags in SDK code
Posted by Justin Mclean <ju...@classsoftware.com>.
HI,
> If I can be of any help, please let me know (and tell me what to do, or what not to do)
Currently looks like there nothing more to be done here.
But if you're looking for something to do you could:
1. Tale a look at bugs that should be easy to test or fix [1]
2. Tour De Flex could always do with more examples in particular any relate to Apache added features (eg new padding attribute, the new flat skins) [2]. Since i's release a few months back it had over 40,000 people use it.
3. We're soon to have a new Flex SDK release, checking that the current RC works on your platform / with your projects and doesn't introduce any regression issues would help.
4. The failure rate for the installer is higher than is should be and has a few outstanding bugs, some of these issues have been fixed but there still a few outstanding. [3]
Thanks,
Justin
1. https://issues.apache.org/jira/issues/?filter=12322826
2. http://flex.apache.org/tourdeflex/
3. https://issues.apache.org/jira/browse/FLEX-34583
Re: Author tags in SDK code
Posted by Dany Dhondt <ar...@mac.com>.
Hi Justin,
If I can be of any help, please let me know (and tell me what to do, or what not to do)
Dany
> Op 20-mrt.-2015, om 08:53 heeft Justin Mclean <ju...@classsoftware.com> het volgende geschreven:
>
> HI,
>
>> Ignore them. There’s no hard rule that they cannot be there.
>
> You're correct in that there's no absolute rule but it is strongly recommended by the ASF board that they be removed. With the possible exception of releases and legal policy that's about as hard as the ASF gets. :-) I've already removed most of them anyway (2000 or 3000 odd I'd guess). Showing that the code belongs to the community rather than an individual hopefully encourages people to contribute. Also given a large number of the authors tagged no longer contribute to the project it's really only of historical interest.
>
> The reason I haven't yet removed them from that particular location is that it contains (Apache licensed) 3rd party code and I'm not 100% sure if we can remove them or not. I'm happy to do the work here (unless anyone else wants to help out that is). Was just asking to see what other people think.
>
> Thanks,
> Justin
Re: Author tags in SDK code
Posted by Chris Mattmann <ma...@apache.org>.
Thanks Justin, it’s not controversial it’s just not doctrine
and stating that the board recommends it and then citing minutes
from over a decade ago don’t make it any more recommended than
anything else.
The past 2 boards that I’ve been on have never brought it up;
and since I have been participating actively at the foundation
(2005-*) it’s never been a board level issue. It’s a community
issue. No one in Flex has objected, so please proceed, however
I will state again it’s not a board level issue.
Cheers,
Chris
-----Original Message-----
From: Justin Mclean <ju...@me.com>
Reply-To: "dev@flex.apache.org" <de...@flex.apache.org>
Date: Sunday, March 22, 2015 at 1:31 AM
To: "dev@flex.apache.org" <de...@flex.apache.org>
Subject: Re: Author tags in SDK code
>Hi,
>
>> Just FYI: it’s not recommended by the ASF board that @author
>> tags be removed.
>
>There has been a few board discussions about it [1][2] (and elsewhere)
>which I've seen referenced a few times. A number of other projects have
>removed them [3]. [1] states "Recommend strongly that @author is avoided"
>which is saying something slightly different from removing existing ones
>I agree.
>
>I asked on list a few weeks back and there was no objection to removing
>them. [4] Alex's words were along the lines of it's your itch scratch it.
>[5] So I certainly can't see it being controversial, but if anyone feels
>it is it is please speak up as those changes can be easily reverted. (And
>just to be clear the tags in 3rd party code have been left alone and are
>still there.)
>
>Thanks,
>Justin
>
>1.
>http://www.apache.org/foundation/records/minutes/2004/board_minutes_2004_0
>9_22.txt (see 7F)
>2.
>http://www.apache.org/foundation/records/minutes/2004/board_minutes_2004_0
>2_18.txt (see 5D)
>3.
>https://issues.apache.org/jira/browse/MAHOUT-1523?jql=text%20~%20%22remove
>%20author%20tags%22
>4. http://markmail.org/message/lfsecyl74ifkrdqz
>5. http://markmail.org/message/3gt4eoxvp7qgxeqc
Re: Author tags in SDK code
Posted by Justin Mclean <ju...@me.com>.
Hi,
> Just FYI: it’s not recommended by the ASF board that @author
> tags be removed.
There has been a few board discussions about it [1][2] (and elsewhere) which I've seen referenced a few times. A number of other projects have removed them [3]. [1] states "Recommend strongly that @author is avoided" which is saying something slightly different from removing existing ones I agree.
I asked on list a few weeks back and there was no objection to removing them. [4] Alex's words were along the lines of it's your itch scratch it. [5] So I certainly can't see it being controversial, but if anyone feels it is it is please speak up as those changes can be easily reverted. (And just to be clear the tags in 3rd party code have been left alone and are still there.)
Thanks,
Justin
1. http://www.apache.org/foundation/records/minutes/2004/board_minutes_2004_09_22.txt (see 7F)
2. http://www.apache.org/foundation/records/minutes/2004/board_minutes_2004_02_18.txt (see 5D)
3. https://issues.apache.org/jira/browse/MAHOUT-1523?jql=text%20~%20%22remove%20author%20tags%22
4. http://markmail.org/message/lfsecyl74ifkrdqz
5. http://markmail.org/message/3gt4eoxvp7qgxeqc
Re: Author tags in SDK code
Posted by Chris Mattmann <ma...@apache.org>.
Hi Justin,
Just FYI: it’s not recommended by the ASF board that @author
tags be removed. It’s up to the community to decide these things.
Many communities decide to do this - they are not required to; nor
does the board recommend these things :)
Cheers,
Chris
-----Original Message-----
From: Justin Mclean <ju...@classsoftware.com>
Reply-To: "dev@flex.apache.org" <de...@flex.apache.org>
Date: Friday, March 20, 2015 at 12:53 AM
To: "dev@flex.apache.org" <de...@flex.apache.org>
Subject: Re: Author tags in SDK code
>HI,
>
>> Ignore them. There’s no hard rule that they cannot be there.
>
>You're correct in that there's no absolute rule but it is strongly
>recommended by the ASF board that they be removed. With the possible
>exception of releases and legal policy that's about as hard as the ASF
>gets. :-) I've already removed most of them anyway (2000 or 3000 odd I'd
>guess). Showing that the code belongs to the community rather than an
>individual hopefully encourages people to contribute. Also given a large
>number of the authors tagged no longer contribute to the project it's
>really only of historical interest.
>
>The reason I haven't yet removed them from that particular location is
>that it contains (Apache licensed) 3rd party code and I'm not 100% sure
>if we can remove them or not. I'm happy to do the work here (unless
>anyone else wants to help out that is). Was just asking to see what other
>people think.
>
>Thanks,
>Justin
Re: Author tags in SDK code
Posted by Justin Mclean <ju...@classsoftware.com>.
HI,
> Ignore them. There’s no hard rule that they cannot be there.
You're correct in that there's no absolute rule but it is strongly recommended by the ASF board that they be removed. With the possible exception of releases and legal policy that's about as hard as the ASF gets. :-) I've already removed most of them anyway (2000 or 3000 odd I'd guess). Showing that the code belongs to the community rather than an individual hopefully encourages people to contribute. Also given a large number of the authors tagged no longer contribute to the project it's really only of historical interest.
The reason I haven't yet removed them from that particular location is that it contains (Apache licensed) 3rd party code and I'm not 100% sure if we can remove them or not. I'm happy to do the work here (unless anyone else wants to help out that is). Was just asking to see what other people think.
Thanks,
Justin
Re: Author tags in SDK code
Posted by Harbs <ha...@gmail.com>.
> Any suggestions?
Ignore them. There’s no hard rule that they cannot be there. While I agree that we should not be adding them, I see no reason to waste time removing them.