From e58414596cfbf3d003e7c4b9fcf3b7ece14e0b58 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Thien-Thi Nguyen Date: Wed, 18 May 2005 10:54:34 +0000 Subject: [PATCH] Initial revision --- admin/notes/years | 45 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1 file changed, 45 insertions(+) create mode 100644 admin/notes/years diff --git a/admin/notes/years b/admin/notes/years new file mode 100644 index 00000000000..72f217e925d --- /dev/null +++ b/admin/notes/years @@ -0,0 +1,45 @@ +How to Maintain Copyright Years for GNU Emacs + + +Principle: Individual files need to have the year of the release + in the copyright notice if there is significant change. + + +Practice: + +- individual files + - each must be examined, along w/ its history, by a human + - automated tools facilitate but can never replace this process + +- year of the release + - may be different from year of file introduction, + or year of last significant change + - sometimes the release year slips, leaving a file w/ prematurely + marked release year => need update (e.g., s/2004/2005/ for Emacs 22) + - intervening years (between releases) are not valid and may cause + embarrassment later in case of dispute => remove (however, see next) + - years for new files (merged, contributed) that have been separately + published are valid even if between releases => leave alone + +- significant change + - insignificant + - whitespace + - copyright notice + - version control tags + - simple var/func renaming + - in-file reorganization/reordering + - typos + - small bugfixes + - small docfixes + - filename renaming + - most everything else is significant + - change to interface + - change in functionality + - new file + - many small changes may be significant in aggregate + +- when in doubt, ask (and update these guidelines -- thanks!) + +- sometimes people make mistakes + - if they have not read these guidelines, point them here + - if the guidelines are not helpful, improve the guidelines -- 2.39.5