Re: Useless ChangeLog entries

[Jeffrey A Law <law at cygnus dot com>]

  In message <38C40348.ACEE345B@melbpc.org.au>you write:
  > When you document a change, it is most helpful to document what
  > you are up to, not just what you have changed. For example:
  > 
  > 	SR   R0,R0    Set R0 to 0 // no use at all
  > 
  > 	SR   R0,R0    Initialize error count // aha!
  > 
  > Often we see Changelog entries that add nothing to the patch. Int
  > his typical example chosen at random we can see that rtl_expr is
  > removed from the patch - the changelog entry adds nothing to this
  > although later of course it does at least tell you who made the
  > change. What is left as an exercise for the reader is - why? 
  > 
  > Log message:
  >         * function.h (struct sequence_stack): Remove rtl_expr.
  >         (struct emit_staus): Likewise.
  >         (seq_rtl_expr): Remove.
  > 	...
  > 
  > Can I suggest that people put some comment on what they are up to
  > in their changelog entries. I could be:
  > 
  > - "Tidying up cse-elimination code"
  > - "Fixing problem with stack popping when a function result is a
  > parameter to another function"
  > - "Converting c++ to use garbage collection"
  > 
  > The addition of a few words would save me, and I am sure a lot of
  > other people, a lot of time.
In general, no.  These kinds of comments are OK for very large changes, but
GNU standards are a ChangeLog documents what changed, not why it changed.

Generally, the technical bits about why something changed belong as comments
in the code.



jeff