[MPlayer-dev-eng] [POLICY] clarify conditions for functionality removal

[Diego Biurrun]

On Mon, Feb 06, 2006 at 09:16:59AM +0000, Ivan Kalvachev wrote:
> 2006/2/5, Diego Biurrun <diego at biurrun.de>:
> > We have the following paragraph in our policy that forbids removing
> > functionality from the code:
> >
> > 4. Do not change behavior of the program (renaming options etc) without
> >    first discussing it on the mplayer-dev-eng mailing list. Do not
> >    remove functionality from the code. Just improve!
> >
> > I think this needs to be revisited.  Removing functionality can make
> > sense in certain cases (MHz counter anyone?) and should be allowed under
> > certain conditions.  I therefore propose updating the policy to read:
> >
> > 4. Do not change behavior of the program (renaming options etc) or
> >    remove functionality from the code without first discussing it
> >    on the mplayer-dev-eng mailing list.
> >
> > I think this is closer to the way we handle the situation right now and
> > makes more sense.
> 
> Well,
> If i remember right I was against removing the CPU counter in the
> first place. (We could have disabled it at least for verbosity<=0)

Yes, but let's not have this pointless discussion again.

> If you want to remove a rule just to allow removing mmap support in
> ao_alsa, then don't.

This is not about mmap.  It's just that the mmap discussion prompted me
to come up with the patch.

> We are not parlament or goverment that must follow the law. These
> rules are just guide for us. We can always break them as long as
> everybody agree that.

Well, it kind of defeats the purpose of having rules if they can be
broken arbitrarily..

The CVS guidelines should describe the policy that we work with, not
something different.  Fact is that we *do* accept removing features under
certain circumstances.  All my patch does is fix the current practice in
writing.

Diego