[FFmpeg-cvslog] Doxy style

[Diego Biurrun]

On Sun, Jan 10, 2010 at 12:43:59PM +0100, Stefano Sabatini wrote:
> On date Sunday 2010-01-10 12:19:15 +0100, Diego Biurrun wrote:
> > On Fri, Jan 08, 2010 at 02:45:50AM +0100, Michael Niedermayer wrote:
> > > On Fri, Jan 08, 2010 at 01:42:22AM +0100, Diego Biurrun wrote:
> > > > On Fri, Jan 08, 2010 at 12:02:11AM +0100, Stefano Sabatini wrote:
> > > > > On date Thursday 2010-01-07 23:57:33 +0100, Diego Biurrun wrote:
> > > > > > On Thu, Jan 07, 2010 at 11:44:33PM +0100, stefano wrote:
> > > > > > > 
> > > > > > > Log:
> > > > > > > Fix doxy, use third person.
> > > > > > 
> > > > > > I made up my mind, I hate it.
> > > > > 
> > > > > That was discussed long time ago, and we decided to comply with
> > > > > JavaDoc recommendations.
> > > > 
> > > > I faintly remember something, but I never liked it in the first place.
> > > > 
> > > > I just compared POSIX docs and looked at a few random man pages.  The
> > > > former is completely written in nonpersonal form, the latter mostly.
> > > > 
> > > > > That said, if you want to convert each doxy
> > > > > to impersonal form I won't object - my only request is to keep it
> > > > > consistent - but that would be higly wasted time I think.
> > > > 
> > > > We have more doxy in non-third-person form than the other way around.
> > > > So the wasted time is being spent on making things less consistent
> > > > right now.  But let's leave this aside for now.
> > > > 
> > > > I've just asked around on IRC, a majority of native speakers agrees
> > > > with me.
> > > 
> > > A vote should be done on the ML and not exclude any developers
> > > my oppinon is that i prefer 3rd person 
> > 
> > We reach the point where the great unwashed[1] use voting to gang up on
> > experts[2].  It only took a few months to get to this point, congrats!
> > 
> > You'll have to find yourself another documentation maintainer.
> > I shall not be a part of this nonsense.
> 
> Choosing third person vs impersonal form is just a convention problem,
> we adopted it following the JavaDoc recommendations, note that I asked
> you to make a choice many times without to get a response,

I faintly remember Michael flaming in favor of third person and I never
put any effort into finding out what common styles are and what native
speakers think.  I only had an unsubstantiated feeling of dislike.  Now
I have presented more than that.

> then at some point you started a doxy clean-up using the third person,
> so I assumed that was the "official" style to follow.

Could be.  If I did, it is a mistake that I regret deeply.

> Then you as the doc maintainer can change the convention, possibly
> with a rationale (e.g. it is more grammatical correct, it is more
> clear, it is more "English") and documenting the choice in the
> guidelines, I don't think voting is needed for this, I'd even
> volunteer to convert the docs on some of the files on which I work.

Then I hereby declare the convention changed.  The rationale I gave above.

Any volunteer work on your part is very much appreciated and welcome.

> What is unacceptable is to change mind every few months, and then
> blaming others for just trying to follow a consistent style.

I have blamed nobody.  I just expressed my feelings.

Diego