[m-dev.] bytecode stuff in cvs repository

[Tyson Richard DOWD]

> 
> |The review procedure exists to do more than just make sure someone
> |reviews a change. If there are problems with this procedure, I'd rather
> |discuss them than just ignore it.
> |
> |Perhaps the review procedure should be added into the developers web
> |page.
> 
> Good idea. There are two philosophies on educating new Mercury
> developers:
> 	1) Have a document detailing what a new developer should know.
> 	2) Impugn the intelligence of any new developer who makes
> 	   a faux pas.
> 
> On consideration, 1) is more practical, but 2) is more fun. 8^)

We only do 2 to hide laziness about not getting 1 done yet. Oh, alright,
there's a bit of fun in it.

> 
> Seriously, it's not a bad idea to come up with such a document.
> A simple piece of HTML pointing to already-extant docs would do.
> I will do this if no-one else wants to. If anyone objects, let me know.
> 

I think the developer info page is the right place to do this, on the
page with the pointer to the C coding standard.

> |(This is not the only case recently - there have been a couple of 
> |quick-fix changes lately that haven't included _what_ was changed,
> |just that it was a type/mistake/etc. If you aren't going to have them
> |reviewed, at least add enough information so that people don't have to
> |go searching to see what you've changed).
> 
> I made a couple such changes. In each case a 
> `cvs diff -c -r<buggy revision> -r<next revision> <filename>' 
> would reveal a blindingly obvious error.

(I assume you mean 'would reveal a blindingly obvious error if there
were one' ;-).

Yes, but it's intended to do the work at the earliest point, to avoid
10 developers all doing that command to check what you've changed (or,
worse, 10 developers _not_ checking what you've changed, because its
a bit too much trouble). Since quite a few people read `cvslog', you
tend to get a free review of the log messages.

-- 
       Tyson Dowd           #
                            #             Sign on refridgerator:
     trd at cs.mu.oz.au        #           Refrigerate after opening. 
http://www.cs.mu.oz.au/~trd #                  - C. J. Owen.