Rewrites to section on new development process, after Usenet discussion

of the text

Doc/whatsnew/whatsnew20.tex

@@ -58,37 +58,42 @@ done between May and September.
 \section{New Development Process}
 
 The most important change in Python 2.0 may not be to the code at all,
-but to how Python is developed.  
+but to how Python is developed: in May 2000 the Python developers
+began using the tools made available by SourceForge for storing 
+source code, tracking bug reports, and managing the queue of patch
+submissions.  To report bugs or submit patches for Python 2.0, use the
+bug tracking and patch manager tools available from Python's project
+page, located at \url{http://sourceforge.net/projects/python/}.
 
-In May of 2000, the Python CVS tree was moved to SourceForge.
+The most important of the services now hosted at SourceForge is the
-Previously, there were roughly 7 or so people who had write access to
+Python CVS tree, the version-controlled repository containing the
-the CVS tree, and all patches had to be inspected and checked in by
+source code for Python.  Previously, there were roughly 7 or so people
-one of the people on this short list.  Obviously, this wasn't very
+who had write access to the CVS tree, and all patches had to be
-scalable.  By moving the CVS tree to SourceForge, it became possible
+inspected and checked in by one of the people on this short list.
-to grant write access to more people; as of September 2000 there were
+Obviously, this wasn't very scalable.  By moving the CVS tree to
-27 people able to check in changes, a fourfold increase.  This makes
+SourceForge, it became possible to grant write access to more people;
-possible large-scale changes that wouldn't be attempted if they'd have
+as of September 2000 there were 27 people able to check in changes, a
-to be filtered through the small group of core developers.  For
+fourfold increase.  This makes possible large-scale changes that
-example, one day Peter Schneider-Kamp took it into his head to drop
+wouldn't be attempted if they'd have to be filtered through the small
-K\&R C compatibility and convert the C source for Python to ANSI
+group of core developers.  For example, one day Peter Schneider-Kamp
-C. After getting approval on the python-dev mailing list, he launched
+took it into his head to drop K\&R C compatibility and convert the C
-into a flurry of checkins that lasted about a week, other developers
+source for Python to ANSI C. After getting approval on the python-dev
-joined in to help, and the job was done.  If there were only 5 people
+mailing list, he launched into a flurry of checkins that lasted about
-with write access, probably that task would have been viewed as
+a week, other developers joined in to help, and the job was done.  If
-``nice, but not worth the time and effort needed'' and it would
+there were only 5 people with write access, probably that task would
-never have gotten done.
+have been viewed as ``nice, but not worth the time and effort needed''
+and it would never have gotten done.
 
-SourceForge also provides tools for tracking bug and patch
+The shift to using SourceForge's services has resulted in a remarkable
-submissions, and in combination with the public CVS tree, they've
+increase in the speed of development.  Patches now get submitted,
-resulted in a remarkable increase in the speed of development.
+commented on, revised by people other than the original submitter, and
-Patches now get submitted, commented on, revised by people other than
+bounced back and forth between people until the patch is deemed worth
-the original submitter, and bounced back and forth between people
+checking in.  This didn't come without a cost: developers now have
-until the patch is deemed worth checking in.  This didn't come without
+more e-mail to deal with, more mailing lists to follow, and special
-a cost: developers now have more e-mail to deal with, more mailing
+tools had to be written for the new environment.  For example,
-lists to follow, and special tools had to be written for the new
+SourceForge sends default patch and bug notification e-mail messages
-environment.  For example, SourceForge sends default patch and bug
+that are completely unhelpful, so Ka-Ping Yee wrote an HTML
-notification e-mail messages that are completely unhelpful, so Ka-Ping
+screen-scraper that sends more useful messages.
-Yee wrote an HTML screen-scraper that sends more useful messages.
 
 The ease of adding code caused a few initial growing pains, such as
 code was checked in before it was ready or without getting clear
@@ -136,10 +141,6 @@ and are also available in HTML form from
 there are 25 PEPS, ranging from PEP 201, ``Lockstep Iteration'', to
 PEP 225, ``Elementwise/Objectwise Operators''.
 
-To report bugs or submit patches for Python 2.0, use the bug tracking
-and patch manager tools available from the SourceForge project page,
-at \url{http://sourceforge.net/projects/python/}.
-
 % ======================================================================
 \section{Unicode}
 
@@ -1157,7 +1158,7 @@ these modules.
 
 The authors would like to thank the following people for offering
 suggestions on drafts of this article: Mark Hammond, Gregg Hauser,
-Fredrik Lundh, Detlef Lannert, Skip Montanaro, Vladimir Marangozov,
+Fredrik Lundh, Detlef Lannert, Aahz Maruch, Skip Montanaro, Vladimir
-Guido van Rossum, and Neil Schemenauer.
+Marangozov, Guido van Rossum, Neil Schemenauer, and Russ Schmidt.
 
 \end{document}