[josm-dev] Commit message not empty

[Ulf Lamping]

Frederik Ramm schrieb:
> Hi,
> 
> Ulf Lamping wrote:
>> My fear is that especially newbies are prevented from uploading stuff: 
>> "what do I have to add here?!?" - please remember: not everyone has 
>> several years of subversion or wikipedia experience.
> 
> We'll add a help button to explain.

Making the GUI complicated and adding a Help button to explain the 
complications is, well, not the best idea for improved user friendliness 
IMHO.

>> But, what puzzles me most (if I understand it correct) is that only 
>> JOSM has this policy. 
> 
> The problem is that Potlatch has to open the changeset before the user 
> has done anything. And while I am a great fan of commit comments, 
> requesting that the user describe what he is about to do, before he has 
> even done it, would be going to far in my eyes! So there is no way to 
> really enforce the policy with an online editor.

There is *no* problem to add a changeset to an online editor. This is 
simply just another indication that the potlatch model of not having a 
"Save" button is the wrong way to go IMHO.

>> All in all, I'm against forcing users to add comments this way. The 
>> idea to ask on an empty comment something like: "It would be nice to 
>> add a comment, so other users can easier understand what you've 
>> changed" would be a good idea IMHO.
> 
> If complaints persist, I might be talked into doing
> 
> "Are you sure you want to annoy everyone by leaving the commit comment 
> empty? [Yes/No]"
> 
> and if you say "Yes" then we display
> 
> "You have decided to leave the commit comment empty. Do you perhaps want
> to change your mind for the better and enter a comment? [Yes/No]"
> 
> and only if you say "No" in this dialog then you get to the upload.
> 
> Oh, and there will be no "Yes" and "No" buttons. You will have to type 
> the word.

Would you be very upset if I write a JOSM plugin that uses Potlatch to 
upload uncommented changes? ;-)

Regards, ULFL