[Biopython-dev] code credits

[Peter]

Peter wrote this (with spelling fixed):
>
> OK - some under your option (3?), the CONTRIBUTORS file is kept
> in the existing style, and the NEWS file also continues in a similar
> *style* to before, but making a more concious effort to include names
> next to noteworthy features, and ensure any other contributors get
> included at the end (e.g. "Plus miscellaneous bug fixes from X, Y
> and Z").
>

Actually, looking over this again, if we want to include a "Sage style"
list of names in the release notes (which looks good), it really would
be easier if we kept this list of names in that format within the
repository (updating it as needed when new code is checked in).
The NEWS and CONTRIBUTORS files are the obvious places to
do this.

With Brad's outline (3), or at least how I understood it (and maybe
I misunderstood you Brad), the NEWS file would have the contributor
names for each release, but not in a format where they can be
copy and pasted to put together a release notice. Meanwhile the
CONTRIBUTORS file would continue as a single list of all
contributions to date. This means whomever writes the release
notice has to synthesise the contributor list by hand, which is
tedious and risks omitting people.

My earlier suggestions had the list of names in the NEWS file for
each release (1), or in the CONTRIBUTORS file broken down by
release (2). These options seem better to me just from a practical
point of view - and we can still also credit people in the main text
of the NEWS file as we do now if appropriate.

So, how about a merger of (1) and (3)? i.e.

* The CONTRIBUTORS file remains a single alphabetical list
of all contributors to date (no change).
* Entries in the NEWS file for new features etc may continue
to credit authors as appropriate.
* The NEWS file will include at the end of each release section
an alphabetical list of contributors for that release (with new
contributors flagged). This will be re-used in the release notice.

Peter