Re: README.cvs-commits, HACKING, AUTHORS, etc files

[Chris Chabot <chabotc xs4all nl>]

Telsa Wrote:

> <snip>
> HACKING                 What you need to build it (libs, special instructions)
> <snip>
> I realise (now) that when we (the release team) said that notes for
> the build sheriff should go in HACKING, we messed up according to
> the g-h thread I mentioned above; but presumably our collective 
> memory of g-h was not that long. 
>  
It is, and always has been, my assumption that the HACKING file lists 
the instructions and guidelines if you wish to 'hack this application', 
ie, contribute to it.. It will often include TODO items, or refer to the 
TODO file, contain instructions on what will and will not be accepted as 
patches, where to find the CVS repository (if any). Coding standards. 
Any specialy test procedures; And so on, and so forth..

What you need to build something is more often included in the README 
file. (It's a likely beginners assumption that you would find this in 
the INSTALL file; However it seems all gnome modules include the generic 
GNU INSTALL file; And all the build instructions & requirements are 
included in the README file).

Thus i would think the description of the HACKING file should be 
something like "Rules and instructions for contributing to the project" 
(or even "Rules and instructions for hacking this software")

I checked my /usr/share/doc/*/HACKING files, and everything there seems 
to follow this concept.

   -- Chris