dsill@RELAY.NSWC.NAVY.MIL (06/26/89)
I've assimilated the various comments I've received on the
organization of the elisp archives. The result is the following
archive organization:
New arrivals (and everything I put there originally) will be placed in
a subdirectory called "as-is". Code under this directory won't
necessarily be well documented or ready-to-use; it will be just as the
author or poster submitted it. After it's been checked out and
properly documented it will be moved to one of the following
subdirectories:
modes - various major modes
interfaces - interfaces to other systems (eg dbx.el, mh-e.el)
perhaps with subdirectories for X, news, etc.
packages - bundles of functions that don't make a mode
functions - individual useful functions
misc - things that don't fit elsewhere
games - games, diversions, amusements
terms - terminal interface packages
The minimum documentation I require is:
1. A description of the intended purpose.
2. Installation intructions.
3. Usage instructions.
4. List of known bugs.
5. Header including:
-Author's name/address
-File name
-Version number, if any
-Date
-Copyright notice, if any
Multi-file packages will be stored as shar archives. Large files will
be compressed. File names will be based on the "name" field of the
elisp directory (see elisp-archive/lispdir.doc), with extensions
indicating file type, e.g.:
.shar - shar archives
.el - elisp
.Z - compressed files
.diffs - diff listings
Archive file names won't necessarily be less than 14 characters, but
I'll ensure that any ".el" filenames are 13 characters or less (once
they're moved out of "as-is").
A field will be added to the elisp-directory containing the location
of the entry in the elisp-archive.
Just to clarify some of the issues raised during this discussion:
- I won't require GNU-like licensing terms. I still recommend
it, and I'll probably suggest it, but I won't require it.
- The organization I've chosen is not intended to also serve as
the organization of a local elisp library. It just wouldn't
make sense to organize the archive as a library.
- The mapping between archive filename and author is done in the
elisp directory, LCD-datafile.
- All code under elisp-archive is provided without warranty. I
intend to at least superficially examine code for obvious danger
before moving it out of the "as-is" directory, but there is
still no warranty.
Please bear in mind that I have a very limited amount of time to
devote to maintaining the archive, especially before asking me to
provide files containing information that won't be included in the
elisp directory. I realize that this organization won't perfectly
meet everyone's needs, nothing nontrivial ever does, but I do think we
can all benefit by having a public archive of contributed elisp.
-Dave Sill
dsill@relay.nswc.navy.mil
elisp archive coordinator