pg.ddx.io  pgsql-docs@postgresql.org mailing list archive  
help / color / mirror / Atom feed
From: Joshua D. Drake <jd@commandprompt.com>
To: Tom Lane <tgl@sss.pgh.pa.us>
Cc: Simon Riggs <simon@2ndquadrant.com>
Cc: Bruce Momjian <bruce@momjian.us>
Cc: pgsql-docs@postgresql.org
Subject: Re: Plug in docs
Date: Sun, 16 Dec 2007 10:26:11 -0800
Message-ID: <47656DC3.5080700@commandprompt.com> (raw)
In-Reply-To: <27293.1197827992@sss.pgh.pa.us>
References: <200712160812.lBG8C5x15519@momjian.us>
	<47654B3A.7030206@commandprompt.com>
	<1197826806.12912.37.camel@ebony.site>
	<27293.1197827992@sss.pgh.pa.us>

Tom Lane wrote:
> Simon Riggs <simon@2ndquadrant.com> writes:
>> On Sun, 2007-12-16 at 07:58 -0800, Joshua D. Drake wrote:
>>> Bruce Momjian wrote:
>>>> I think these are
>>>> documented-in-the-source-code type issues.
>>> If they are an API they need to be documented. Code is poor (even well 
>>> documented code) substitute for good old fashioned docs.
> 
>> Agreed.
> 
> I don't agree --- I think the above opinion is rooted in closed-source
> documentation practices where you *have to* document things without
> reference to the code.  In an open-source situation the ground rules
> are completely different, and we shouldn't make unnecessary work for
> ourselves.

No it is not rooted in closed-source documentation practices. It is 
rooted is Professional documentation practices.

> 
> Also, if you think any of these are APIs in the sense that we promise
> never to change them, you're mistaken.  (Again, it's not so much the
> hook itself that's the problem, as all the stuff that the hooked-in
> function needs to know about.)

I believe Simon's point is not invalidated by this email. If anything it 
reinforces it. We are not looking for War and Peace, we are looking for 
overview.

An overview can be as simple as discussing in broad strokes what the 
each API is for, the current function set and points to where in the 
code to look for further information.

Sincerely,

Joshua D. Drake





view thread (6+ messages)

Message-ID: <47656DC3.5080700@commandprompt.com>
Permalink:  ../47656DC3.5080700@commandprompt.com/
Also on:    postgresql.org/message-id/47656DC3.5080700@commandprompt.com

 · 

reply

Reply instructions:

You may reply publicly to this message via plain-text email
using any one of the following methods:

* Reply to all the recipients using the --to and --cc options:
  reply via email

  To: pgsql-docs@postgresql.org
  Cc: jd@commandprompt.com, tgl@sss.pgh.pa.us, simon@2ndquadrant.com, bruce@momjian.us
  Subject: Re: Plug in docs
  In-Reply-To: <47656DC3.5080700@commandprompt.com>

* Save the following mbox file, import it into your mail client,
  and reply-to-all from there: mbox

This inbox is served by DDX for PostgreSQL; see mirroring instructions
for how to clone and mirror all data and code used for this inbox