[Bioperl-l] 0.7 release: Evaluating every module

Hilmar Lapp lapp@gnf.org
Mon, 13 Nov 2000 12:04:55 -0800


Jason Stajich wrote:
> 
> I would like to propose that we have a checklist and go through the
> standards for every module.  As we establish a minimal documentation,
> perhaps RootI compliance, and standardization of subroutine POD, this will
> give us an opportunity for all the code to get a lookover before we
> certify as an 0.7 release.

I second this proposal, a minimal review before a release is certainly
beneficial. As always, the point is who's going to do this: as a supporter
I must count me myself in; anyone else willing to help? (Anyone supporting
it will automatically be counted :-)

Jason, does it make sense if you take over this subject, or shall I
coordinate it?

> Also some modules - the Bio::Search::* specifically have been unfinished
> for quite some time.  I've communicated with Aaron and he suggested they
> either be finished or removed from the tree.  I think a Bio::SearchIO in
> the AlignIO/SeqIO spirit for processing search results (blast,fasta,HMMER)
> would be interesting, but obviously not contained in this release.
> However, decisions should be made if we are going to continue to include
> incomplete modules in a release.
> 

My vote goes for abandoning incomplete stuff from a release; that's what
the development trunk is for. By incomplete I mean modules that are not yet
usable in a meaningful way. It confuses potential users of the package who
may waste their time in trying to figure out whether that module is able to
solve their problem -- only to find out that it's not working yet.

	Hilmar

-- 
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Hilmar Lapp                            email: lapp@gnf.org
GNF, San Diego, Ca. 92121              phone: +1-858-812-1757
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