Re: [SciPy-dev] [Slightly OT] Karl Fogel's “Producing Open Source Software”

[Fernando Perez]

David M.Cooke wrote:
> On Jan 9, 2006, at 13:13 , Robert Kern wrote:
> 
> 
>>David M. Cooke wrote:
>>
>>
>>>Is there anything in particular you'd suggest? I've had a quick look
>>>before, and the thing that stuck to me was code review. I think
>>>something like a checkins list would help cover that. I'd also like
>>>an RSS feed of checkins, b/c I check those a lot :). I think there's
>>>a plugin for Trac (0.9 at least) that'll do that...
>>
>>Look at the bottom of
>>
>>http://projects.scipy.org/scipy/scipy/timeline
>>http://projects.scipy.org/scipy/numpy/timeline
>>
>>Hopefully these URLs will be stable.
> 
> 
> Thanks! Not perfect -- you only get the change comment in the feed,  
> not the diff or at least the files changed, but it's better than  
> nothing :-)

Yes, we could also enable a post-commit hook for svn which sends emails, and 
create a pair of numpy-svn and a scipy-svn mailing lists as the target.  Those 
with a need for staying really on top of the development can then subscribe to 
these lists.

I did that for ipython a while ago, so I can help here if need be (ipython is 
hosted on the same setup that numpy and scipy are, we are all under the 
Virtualmin host system).

Other good things I found in the book:

- make sure wikis are well organized: wikis, as a side effect of the very 
flexibility that keeps makes them so useful, have a tendency to grow in a 
rather 'organic' fashion.  This is nice-speak for 'turning into a 
disorganized, un-navigable mess'.  So good super-structure and navigational 
aids (Table of Contents wiki macros help a lot) are key for a wiki to be truly 
useful.

- avoid private discussions, keep things on-list: I am _very_ guilty of this 
with ipython.  While I'm sure I'll continue doing this (it's just too 
convenient and I'm lazy), it's true that keeping the lists 'in the loop' is an 
important practice for the long run.


- In general, I think that chapter 6 (Communications) had a fair amount of 
common sense, but still well organized and thought out, advice.  At least I 
found it useful.


Regards,

f