[MapServer-dev] LLM tool policy for MapServer?

[Michael Smith]

I like this refinement.  LLMs are a tool. I have no issue if it’s used by someone who knows what they are doing.  It’s the burden on the maintainers that concerns me. The strain. 


Michael Smith

> On Jun 23, 2026, at 3:26 AM, Seth G via MapServer-dev <mapserver-dev at lists.osgeo.org> wrote:
> 
> Hi Even, all,
> 
> +1 on using the GDAL policy (with the updates from Steve). I also think we should allow LLMs to be used to review code in a PR which I'm not sure is covered in:
> 
> "LLMs may only be used as an improved auto-completion mechanism, or for repeated tasks (mechanical refactoring) that could potentially be completed with a deterministic algorithm."
> 
> In the case of https://github.com/MapServer/MapServer/pull/7535 I think this could be acceptable under the new policy? The author has declared use of AI, responded to questions, and knows enough about the code they are adding to create a real-world example and documentation. Having said that I don't know anything about the algorithm, and I'm not able to scan through the C code and tell if it is nonsense or not. I'm happy to test the PR locally though.
> 
> I think we should continue to encourage MapServer users / power-users to contribute, whilst closing any drive-by LLM PRs, or PRs from "entities" with no interest or connection to the project.
> 
> Seth
> 
> 
> --
> web:https://geographika.net & https://mapserverstudio.net
> mastodon: @geographika at mastodon.social
> 
>> On Mon, Jun 22, 2026, at 2:09 AM, Even Rouault via MapServer-dev wrote:
>> Hi,
>> 
>> It would have been surprised if we'd have been spared by that plague.
>> See https://github.com/MapServer/MapServer/pull/7535
>> 
>> Adopt https://gdal.org/en/stable/community/ai_tool_policy.html with
>> s/GDAL/MapServer and minus the Mitigation paragraph since we don't have
>> project-wide funding vehicle ?
>> 
>> Even
>> 
>> --
>> http://www.spatialys.com
>> My software is free, but my time generally not.
>> LLMs contribute to global warming and brain rot
>> 
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