gnustandards ChangeLog standards.texi

[Karl Berry]

CVSROOT:        /sources/gnustandards
Module name:    gnustandards
Changes by:     Karl Berry <karl>       12/06/30 15:35:02

Modified files:
        .              : ChangeLog standards.texi 

Log message:
        one-line overall purpose ok; full change description of media/etc. 
files ok

CVSWeb URLs:
http://cvs.savannah.gnu.org/viewcvs/gnustandards/ChangeLog?cvsroot=gnustandards&r1=1.165&r2=1.166
http://cvs.savannah.gnu.org/viewcvs/gnustandards/standards.texi?cvsroot=gnustandards&r1=1.217&r2=1.218

Patches:
Index: ChangeLog
===================================================================
RCS file: /sources/gnustandards/gnustandards/ChangeLog,v
retrieving revision 1.165
retrieving revision 1.166
diff -u -b -r1.165 -r1.166
--- ChangeLog   15 Jun 2012 15:56:26 -0000      1.165
+++ ChangeLog   30 Jun 2012 15:35:01 -0000      1.166
@@ -1,3 +1,11 @@
+2012-06-30  Thien-Thi Nguyen  <address@hidden>
+       and Karl Berry  <address@hidden>
+
+       * standards.texi (Change Log Concepts): mention possibility
+       of a one-line description describing the overall purpose;
+       the full description changes to media files and others without
+       a comment syntax can go in the ChangeLog.
+
 2012-06-15  Karl Berry  <address@hidden>
 
        * maintain.texi (Automated Upload Registration): must confirm

Index: standards.texi
===================================================================
RCS file: /sources/gnustandards/gnustandards/standards.texi,v
retrieving revision 1.217
retrieving revision 1.218
diff -u -b -r1.217 -r1.218
--- standards.texi      1 Jun 2012 17:15:42 -0000       1.217
+++ standards.texi      30 Jun 2012 15:35:01 -0000      1.218
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 @setfilename standards.info
 @settitle GNU Coding Standards
 @c This date is automagically updated when you save this file:
address@hidden lastupdate June 1, 2012
address@hidden lastupdate June 30, 2012
 @c %**end of header
 
 @dircategory GNU organization
@@ -3541,6 +3541,16 @@
 a change log describes either an individual change or the smallest
 batch of changes that belong together, also known as a @dfn{change
 set}.
address@hidden title, change log entry
address@hidden description, change log entry
+For later reference or for summarizing, sometimes it is useful to
+start the entry with a one-line description (sometimes called a
address@hidden) to describe its overall purpose.
+
+In the past, we recommended not mentioning changes in non-software
+files (manuals, help files, media files, etc.)@: in change logs.
+However, we've been advised that it is a good idea to include them,
+for the sake of copyright records.
 
 The change log file is normally called @file{ChangeLog} and covers an
 entire directory.  Each directory can have its own change log, or a
@@ -3552,20 +3562,18 @@
 to a @file{ChangeLog} file using @code{rcs2log}; in Emacs, the command
 @kbd{C-x v a} (@code{vc-update-change-log}) does the job.
 
-There's no need to describe the full purpose of the changes or how
-they work together.  However, sometimes it is useful to write one line
-to describe the overall purpose of a change log entry.  If
-you think that a change calls for explanation, you're probably right.
-Please do explain it---but please put the full explanation in comments
-in the code, where people will see it whenever they see the code.  For
-example, ``New function'' is enough for the change log when you add a
-function, because there should be a comment before the function
-definition to explain what it does.
-
-In the past, we recommended not mentioning changes in non-software
-files (manuals, help files, media files, etc.)@: in change logs.
-However, we've been advised that it is a good idea to include them,
-for the sake of copyright records.
+For changes to code, there's no need to describe the full purpose of
+the changes or how they work together.  If you think that a change
+calls for explanation, you're probably right.  Please do explain
+it---but please put the full explanation in comments in the code,
+where people will see it whenever they see the code.  For example,
+``New function'' is enough for the change log when you add a function,
+because there should be a comment before the function definition to
+explain what it does.
+
+For changes to files that do not support a comment syntax (e.g., media
+files), it is ok to include the full explanation in the change log file,
+after the title and before the list of individual changes.
 
 The easiest way to add an entry to @file{ChangeLog} is with the Emacs
 command @kbd{M-x add-change-log-entry}.  An individual change should