ChangeLogs (Re: GH:zsh-users/zsh-completions.)

[Oliver Kiddle <okiddle@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

On 18 Oct, Bart wrote:
> }
> } We preserved the ChangeLog in its existing form when migrating from CVS
> } largely so that we were changing as little as possible. But we have git
> } log. All new ChangeLog entries can be autogenerated
>
> This is so appealing in theory and yet so horrible (IMO) in practice.
> Git log format does not lend itself to this [*] and its immutability
> makes it impossible to correct errors (of which we have plenty) or to
> fix mis-attribution when e.g. one of the developers is committing on
> behalf of some other contributor who should get credit.

We've already got the situation that git logs can't be retrospectively
corrected. If the value of a ChangeLog lies in its mutability that
doesn't necessarily have to be lost if we auto-generate a ChangeLog
before a release. As Aaron mentoned we could push replacement
references. We might also use git notes for things like mailing list
cross-references. So provided whoever makes the release is pulling
replacement refs, the ChangeLog should go out corrected. And added to
that we'd at least have a clear if clumsy mechanism for corrections to
git logs.

I held off replying earlier because I didn't want the main thread to get
side-tracked on what isn't necessarily the most important suggestion
there.

Oliver