[development] Consolidating duplicate contrib modules for D7

[Steven Peck]

Differences occur because
- development happened in a similar time frame.
- developers do not play well with each other.
- developer B has contempt for developer A's code
 - and is not courteous in discussions of said codes weakness so does
their own project.
- modules seem the same but use wildly differing methods to achieve
their results.


The problem with the 'have the doc team do it' pretends we have
assigned people that will magically carry this out.
- They will install various modules on clean test sites.
- They will have use cases which will allow the evaluation of the
modules in questions
- They assume the module contributor in question is responsive and
that duplication is the result of 'just happened' instead of hostility
between developers.
- The modules are actually similar enough in function to be accurately compared.
- Users will magically find the module comparison page and it will be
up to date.

Not really going to happen.

The best long term suggestion is to have the maintainers clearly
document any differences on their project page (preferably the ones
who are second should do this by default).  People (devs) who have a
need for a module and had to evaluate could submit an issue with a
request to have an updated 'difference' description added.  Suggested
sample text would probably help.  A module maintainer is not
necessarily willing to go download a similar  module if theirs already
fills their needs.

The ones that are not used die out as tracked on the usage page.

I would suggest a linked article on how to evaluate a project for use
(and suggest how to get description updates) linked to the top of the
Projects page description would be more useful.

sepeck


On Thu, Dec 3, 2009 at 3:36 PM, nan wich <nan_wich at bellsouth.net> wrote:
> Shai Gluskin wrote:
>> Asking the docs team to write module comparison pieces is a good thing too
>
> NO!!!  The comparison pieces should be written by the module developers or
> one of their advanced users.
>
>
> Nancy E. Wichmann, PMP
>
> Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. -- Dr. Martin L. King,
> Jr.
>
>