[Python-Dev] [Python-checkins] cpython: Issue #16592: stringlib_bytes_join doesn't raise MemoryError on allocation

[Jeff Allen]

On 02/12/2012 07:08, Nick Coghlan wrote:
> On Sun, Dec 2, 2012 at 4:56 PM, christian.heimes 
> <python-checkins at python.org <mailto:python-checkins at python.org>> wrote:
>
>     ... <http://hg.python.org/cpython/rev/9af5a2611202>
>     diff --git a/Misc/NEWS b/Misc/NEWS
>     ...
>     +- Issue #16592: stringlib_bytes_join doesn't raise MemoryError on
>     allocation
>     +  failure.
>
>
> Please don't write NEWS entries in past tense like this - they're 
> annoyingly ambiguous, as it isn't clear whether the entry is 
> describing the reported problem or the fix for the problem. Describing 
> just the new behaviour or the original problem and the fix is much 
> easier to follow. For example:
>
>   - Issue #16592: stringlib_bytes_join now correctly raises 
> MemoryError on allocation failure.
>   - Issue #16592: stringlib_bytes_join was triggering SystemError on 
> allocation failure. It now correctly raises MemoryError.
>
> Issue titles for actual bugs generally don't make good NEWS entries, 
> as they're typically a summary of the problem rather than the solution 
> (RFE's are different, as there the issue title is often a good summary 
> of the proposed change)
>
You mean please do (re-)write such statements in the past tense, when 
the news is that the statement is no longer true.

I agree about the ambiguity that arises here, but there's a simple 
alternative to re-writing. Surely all that has been forgotten here is an 
enclosing "The following issues have been resolved:"? I think there's a 
lot to be said for cut and paste of actual titles on grounds of accuracy 
and speed (and perhaps scriptability).

E.g. http://hg.python.org/jython/file/661a6baa10da/NEWS

Jeff Allen


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