Proposal: Package update log
On 10/2/2012 10:01 AM, Starkweather, Jonathan wrote:
I'm relatively new to R and would first like to sincerely thank all those who contribute to its development. Thank you. I would humbly like to propose a rule which creates a standard (i.e., strongly encouraged, mandatory, etc.) for authors to include a `change log' documenting specific changes for each update made to their package(s). The more detailed the description, the better; and it would be exceptionally useful if the document were available from the R-console (similar to the help function). In other words, I am suggesting that the `change log' file be included in the package(s) and preferably accessible from the R-console.
Let me just address the "accessible from the R-console" part of this. The infrastructure to support this already exists; check out the news() function. It does require a structured NEWS file, but will make some attempts to figure out the structure (see the documentation).
I am aware that many packages available on CRAN have a `change log' or `news' page. However; not all packages have something like that and many which do, are not terribly detailed in conveying what has been updated or changed.
More detail is generally nice. However, I'm not sure what CRAN could enforce. A simple check that could be automated is that news() for the package and the version declared in the DESCRIPTION file returns a non-empty result. But I don't know if that would be a net positive (adding another burden for package authors vs giving more detail). Those authors that care probably already do so; those that don't will just have to work around the check without necessarily adding anything useful.
I am also aware that package authors are not a particularly lazy group, sitting around with nothing to do. My proposal would likely add a non-significant amount of work to the already very generous (and appreciated) work performed by package authors, maintainers, etc. I do, however, believe it would be greatly appreciated and beneficial to have more detailed update information available from the R-console as some of us (users) update packages daily and are often left wondering what exactly has been updated. I did not post this to the R-devel list because I consider this proposal more of a documentation issue than a development issue. Also, I would like to see some discussion of this proposal from a varied pool of stakeholders (e.g., users and not just developers, package authors, package maintainers, etc.). Respectfully, Jon Starkweather, PhD University of North Texas Research and Statistical Support http://www.unt.edu/rss/
Brian S. Diggs, PhD Senior Research Associate, Department of Surgery Oregon Health & Science University