"Jaap Haitsma" <jaap haitsma org> writes:
> Why do all GNOME projects have a ChangeLog file?
> Isn't it redundant when you just save a commit message.
I generally agree, though there's some subtleties:
- Some commit messages aren't exactly suitable or relevant for ChangeLogs.
- Distributed sources (a tarball) shouldn't require access to a SVN
repository (or even a network) to determine change/revision history.
- This is especially true as the repository becomes unavailable because the
project ages or dies, for instance.
- ...or if you don't have a continuous net connection.
- There is an explicit provision of the GPL that requires the
identification of changes. Specifically, section 2.a. of the GPLv2:
"a) You must cause the modified files to carry
prominent notices stating that you changed the files
and the date of any change."
GnuCash uses a mechanism to build the ChangeLog from the SVN commit logs,
which we use for distribution building; see the bottom of
<http://svn.gnucash.org/repo/gnucash/trunk/Makefile.am> if you're interested
in the details.
With infinite free time, I'd extend it to respect some code in the commit
message that intended "this commit message is unsuitable for a ChangeLog".
(I'd probably also extend it to respect a "this commit log *is* suitable for
auto-generating NEWS/release-notes.")
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