Re: OT: ChangeLog stylistics

[Jim Meyering]

Stepan Kasal <address@hidden> wrote:
> The changelog informs about what _was done_ so there is no reason to use
> present tense or imperative.
>
> I think I remember being corrected that something like
>
>       * dir/kill.c (killer): Add line to kill `foo.'
>
> should rather be
>
>       * dir/kill.c (killer): Added line to kill `foo.'
>
> but I presumed that
>
>       * dir/kill.c (killer): Kill also `foo.'
>
> would be a correct description of the same change.

Hi Stepan,

I prefer to use the active voice (and present, not past) in ChangeLog
entries.  I find it is more readable.  IMHO, it's the _right_ way.
The same goes for comments in code, of course.  In some respects,
ChangeLog entries are comments on the development process, so they are
analogous to code comments.

FWIW, that has been the `standard' in coreutils since day 1.  You'll find
that many GNU projects use the same convention, but sometimes they accept
ChangeLog entries verbatim from outsiders and neglect to adjust the
`voice' or tense -- it's not that big a deal, after all.

Jim