[Biopython-dev] code credits

[Peter]

Hello all,

This email has been sent to the Biopython developers list, where
we are proposing to include a list of contributors in the Biopython
1.53 and future release notes.

I have specifically CC'd Chris Lasher, Hongbo Zhu and Paul B as
"new contributors". I don't have an email address for Frederik
Gwinner but will send him this message via github instead.

On Fri, Dec 18, 2009 at 1:54 AM, Marshall Hampton wrote:
>
> On Thu, 17 Dec 2009, Peter wrote:
>>
>> Marshall Hampton's description of how they do it on Sage
>> sounds worth trying - if we keep track as things are checked
>> in, it won't be too much work either. Do you (sage) have a
>> list of guidelines for what qualifies for a credit?
>
> I don't think we have formal guidelines, but the process is pretty simple.
> Whoever works on a patch in our bug/feature tracker has to flag it for
> review.  Both the person who implements the patch and the reviewer get
> credit.  It doesn't matter if its a 1-character change to the documentation,
> they're listed in the release notes.  Basically, the idea is to err (if
> that's the right word) on the side of acknowledging any contribution. ...

On that basis, this is a (partial?) list for Biopython 1.53, given
alphabetically as done by Sage:

Bartek Wilczyns
Brad Chapman
Chris Lasher (first contribution?)
Cymon Cox
Frank Kauff
Frederik Gwinner (first contribution?)
Hongbo Zhu (first contribution?)
Kyle Ellrott
Leighton Pritchard
Michiel de Hoon
Paul B (first contribution?)
Peter Cock

Am I missing anyone? Have I spelt all the names right? (Actually a
serious question - I recently made a typo on a git commit comment
and miss-typed Leighton's surname).

We can update the release note on the news server/blog to include this,
and send round another announcement email describing this plan. For
the source code, I have two suggestions:

(1) Include this in the NEWS file for each release, and continue adding
names to the single alphabetical list in the CONTRIBUTORS file.

(2) Don't included the list of names in the NEWS file, but instead put
them in the CONTRIBUTORS file. This can have a section for each
future release, with all the existing entries listed as contributors up to
and including Biopython 1.52.

I prefer the second option - the NEWS file is already quite long, and can
refer to the CONTRIBUTORS file (e.g. for Biopython 1.53 we can have a
line "(At least) 12 people contributed to this release, including 4 first time
contributors".

Peter