[GRASS-PSC] SVN write access request

[Hamish]

Colin Nielsen wrote:
> I am writing to request write access to the SVN so I can make some
> updates to the r.cost, r.walk and r.drain modules.
> I have read, and accept, the terms of the "Legal aspects of code
> contributions (RFC2)", and have created an osgeo_id (cnielsen).
> 
> Thanks and let me know if there is any more information you
> require.


Hi Colin,

it is rather poorly explained in the trac wiki (well, ok, it's wrong):
the typical process for new developers is that for some mentorship
period they send patches to the devel list or trac system for other old
timers to review and commit for them. full svn access generally happens
when the mentor has seen enough patches that they trust the person's code,
and get bored reviewing all their patches. at that point the mentor
nominates the new dev, and the vote happens.

this is all rather murky common-law stuff, we've never got around to
working on the second draft of RFC3 and preparing it for ratification.
None the less, this is a PSC vote, and from my reading of the current
RFC3 & expectations, votes are supposed to be called by a member of the
PSC (ie your dev mentor) not by the new dev. the dev/trac wiki should
say that, but it doesn't. oops


I don't doubt that you have a better understanding of the inner workings
of r.drain, r.cost, and r.walk than maybe anyone else here, and that
you've been quietly working away on them for months, but the fact of the
matter is that I've never seen a proper patch, so have nothing to go on
to make a judgment right now. sorry.

for what it's worth, you don't have to be god's gift to programming; as
far as I can tell most of us here are scientists come self-taught
programmers when we needed some tool. luckily there are some real
programmers around to keep us in line ;)


what I'd suggest is that we stall this vote and apologize for any mis-
understandings, you post your improvements to the bug/wish trac system,
get them reviewed & committed, etc etc. and then sooner or later we will
trust your code and get sick of committing things for you and whoever
does most of that committing will make some noises to pick up this vote
where we left off.


todo for the rest of us: fix the wiki text and finish rfc3.


cheers & I look forward to trying out your contributions*,
Hamish


[*] did you see our (ie Ryan's) r.walk penguin nest site selection project? 
r.drain did a pretty good job of replicating their well worn paths up the
beach and into the cliffs. neat confirmation. there was also a nice
viewshed coupling aspect to it.