[CF-metadata] Proposals for Versioning CF Conventions and Standard Names on Github

From: Jonathan Gregory <j.m.gregory>
Date: Mon, 22 Sep 2014 18:11:27 +0100

Dear Rich

> One of the reasons for moving the CF Conventions and Standard Names to
> Github was so that the community could help support CF development.
>
> The github fork/branch/pull-request process allows contributors to
> submit changes that can be discussed, modified, discussed some more
> and then eventually approved with the click of a button, taking the
> burden off of one or two people to make all the changes while leaving
> the current approval process intact.

I'd like to understand better how these processes will interact. We have trac
tickets to propose changes and to correct mistakes. By the time the trac
ticket is concluded, it should state exactly what textual changes are going
to be made. All that then remains is to make these changes in the document.
That is, there is no need for discussion, modification or approval in the
github process, as far as I can see, because there is nothing left to be
discussed or approved once the "current approval process" on trac has been
finished, except for proof-reading the changes to make sure they were made
exactly according to the trac ticket. Is that what you mean?

It might be suggested that we don't need defect tickets if corrections can
be proposed through github. However, I think we do still need them, because
it is not always obvious whether something is actually a mistake. One person
might think they are proposing a correction, whereas another might regard it
as a material change. Such discussions have occurred on trac defect tickets,
so I think we still need that process.

Best wishes

Jonathan
Received on Mon Sep 22 2014 - 11:11:27 BST