[m-dev.] for review: developer introduction for webpage

[Tyson Dowd]

On 16-Jan-2001, Zoltan Somogyi <zs at cs.mu.OZ.AU> wrote:
> On 16-Jan-2001, Tyson Dowd <trd at cs.mu.OZ.AU> wrote:
> > +<h2>Quick installation of subsystems</h2>
> > +
> > +It's also worth noticing that each subsystem (the runtime, the compiler,
> > +the library, etc) can be installed by itself.  If you make a change to the
> > +compiler, you can install it with
> > +<pre>
> > +cd compiler ; mmake install
> > +</pre>
> > +Be aware that this will only install one grade -- if you want to install
> > +just the library in all the grades in LIBGRADES, try:
> > +<pre>
> > +cd compiler ; mmake install
> > +</pre>
> 
> I have never done the above, and I think the advice you give there is
> dangerous, since novices cannot be expected to understand the implications
> of installing subsystems separately, since they don't know all the subsystem
> interdependencies. This section should be deleted.

I'm happy to mention that it is dangerous, but I'm not sure about
deleting it.  If I delete the section people still aren't going to 
know about the interdependencies, and they also won't know about this
potentially useful thing.

(if you don't agree, see last paragraph)

> > +If you've made changes to the compiler or library that you think are
> > +working fine, you may want to make sure you haven't messed up some other
> > +part of the compiler.
> 
> Not "may want to"; "should".

> > +<p>
> > +Finally, if you have checked out the "tests" module from CVS, the
> > +bootcheck will use the stage 2 compiler, library and runtime to run all
> > +the tests in the testing hierarchy.
> 
> Not "if"; running the test cases should be mandatory.

I guess both of these are a matter of audience.  Both points are
addressed in the review procedures for submitting to the Mercury
Project, and in that case I think they are pertinent.

I was thinking that this document is intended for a wider audience of
people who might not be interested in submitting to the project.
With that audience I didn't want the document to sound like a lot of
"thou must" statements -- I was going to let them make up their own
minds about their software development practices.

However, you are the one who wanted this document, so tell me what you
would prefer.

-- 
       Tyson Dowd           # 
                            #  Surreal humour isn't everyone's cup of fur.
     trd at cs.mu.oz.au        # 
http://www.cs.mu.oz.au/~trd #
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