Re: TODO list (was Re: Contributing with code)

On Sun, Dec 31, 2017 at 11:42 AM, Tom Lane <tgl(at)sss(dot)pgh(dot)pa(dot)us> wrote:

> Robert Haas <robertmhaas(at)gmail(dot)com> writes:
> > Also, let's delete the TODO list. People keep using it as a source of
> > project ideas, and that's bad.
>
> If we're not going to maintain/curate it properly, I agree it's not
> worth keeping it around. But I'd rather see somebody put some effort
> into it ...
>

​It probably needs three sub-sections. Fist the raw ideas put forth by
people not capable of implementation but needing capabilities; these get
moved to one of two sections: ideas that have gotten some attention by core
that have merit but don't hav​e development interest presently; and one
like this that have gotten the some attention and that core doesn't feel
would be worth maintaining even if someone was willing to develop it. We
already have this in practice but maybe a bit more formality would help.

I'm not seeing that having it, even if incorrect, does harm. Those who
would develop from it should be using it as a conversation starter and even
if it is discovered that the feature is no longer desirable or applicable
that conversation will have been worthwhile to that person and probably
many others browsing these mailing lists. I do think that all of the
commit-fest managers (and release note writers/reviewers) for the release
year could be asked/reminded to at least skim over the ToDo list at the end
of their session and see whether anything was addressed by one of the
commits that went in during their tenure and remove (or update) them.

A thread started by "hey, lets talk about this ToDo list item" is one that
reinforces the value of having such a list - and at worse should result in
that particular entry being updated in some fashion.

David J.