Re: Release Note Changes

Heikki Linnakangas <heikki(at)enterprisedb(dot)com> writes:
> Dave Page wrote:
>> That's inaccurate - I've been listed by full name for at least the last 3 or 4 releases. I realise I'm not the biggest contributor to the core code, but 'newer' certainly isn't right.

> Maybe that's because you have such a short name. ;-)

Yeah, laziness on the part of those preparing the release notes is
certainly a factor ;-). I think when I did the first draft this time
round, I wrote out Heikki's name in full the first time and then made
it just "Heikki" thereafter.

Perhaps a suitable solution would be to adopt that as formal policy
--- it would solve the problem of bulk for heavy contributors while
still treating everyone alike.

Not sure about how to deal with first names that are enough alike
to cause confusion, as in Dave vs David. When Tom Lockhart was around
the project it was even messier, since he and I shared not only the same
first name but all three initials. We got away with me being "Tom" and
him "Thomas" for release-note purposes, but I think that only worked
because we were both core members, so the case came up often enough to
keep the distinction fresh in mind. (Or maybe everyone but the two of
us was routinely confused...)

Anyway, maybe a policy of "drop the last name on second and later
mentions, unless this might cause confusion" would work.

regards, tom lane