Re: Some question about code line count when sign GPL paper

[Stefan Monnier]

> ** Contributer add another new function which is very similar test1. 
[...]
>     (print "test2")))  ;; the only different line from test1
>
> should I count this countribution 7 lines or 1 line?

The "line count" is approximative, it's really best to think of
"information content" (similar to kolmogorov complexity, in a sense), so
I think I'd count it more like 1 than like 7.

> * Case2
>
> If I can't let a contributer to sign GPL paper, How should I do:
>
> 1. just rewrite or revert his code and do not need to wash repo history?
> 2. remove his commit, by wash repo history?

It's best if it doesn't get into the repo's history, but it's usually
not worth the trouble "washing" the repo's history, no.

BTW, for your above example, I'd take the change as-is and then add
a new change on top of it which combines the two functions into one to
reduce the code redundancy.  It will also have the side-benefit of
clarifying that his contribution is really just that one line.


        Stefan