[FFmpeg-cvslog] r21073 - trunk/libavfilter/avfilter.h

[Vitor Sessak]

Diego Biurrun wrote:
> On Fri, Jan 08, 2010 at 12:02:11AM +0100, Stefano Sabatini wrote:
>> On date Thursday 2010-01-07 23:57:33 +0100, Diego Biurrun wrote:
>>> On Thu, Jan 07, 2010 at 11:44:33PM +0100, stefano wrote:
>>>> Log:
>>>> Fix doxy, use third person.
>>> I made up my mind, I hate it.
>> That was discussed long time ago, and we decided to comply with
>> JavaDoc recommendations.
> 
> I faintly remember something, but I never liked it in the first place.
> 
> I just compared POSIX docs and looked at a few random man pages.  The
> former is completely written in nonpersonal form, the latter mostly.
> 
>> That said, if you want to convert each doxy
>> to impersonal form I won't object - my only request is to keep it
>> consistent - but that would be higly wasted time I think.
> 
> We have more doxy in non-third-person form than the other way around.
> So the wasted time is being spent on making things less consistent
> right now.  But let's leave this aside for now.
> 
> I've just asked around on IRC, a majority of native speakers agrees
> with me.
> 
> There's also the grammar issue: Third person singular creates a lot
> of mistakes, especially from non-native writers.  Let's avoid them.

I don't know if this is the idea, but I'm against adding another 
review-enforced style guideline. For newcomers, having to pass a few 
review cycles to _just to get the style right_ might be a bit 
frustrating besides looking unwelcoming.

Also, while I understand the need of having a consistent style in 
general, I personally do not notice such kind of verb form inconsistency 
(maybe just because I'm not a native speaker) and hence it does not make 
the code looks less profession to me.

-Vitor