[[now-what]]
== My Patch Got Emailed - Now What?
+Please give reviewers enough time to process your initial patch before
+sending an updated version. That is, resist the temptation to send a new
+version immediately, because others may have already started reviewing
+your initial version.
+
+While waiting for review comments, you may find mistakes in your initial
+patch, or perhaps realize a different and better way to achieve the goal
+of the patch. In this case you may communicate your findings to other
+reviewers as follows:
+
+ - If the mistakes you found are minor, send a reply to your patch as if
+ you were a reviewer and mention that you will fix them in an
+ updated version.
+
+ - On the other hand, if you think you want to change the course so
+ drastically that reviews on the initial patch would be a waste of
+ time (for everyone involved), retract the patch immediately with
+ a reply like "I am working on a much better approach, so please
+ ignore this patch and wait for the updated version."
+
+Now, the above is a good practice if you sent your initial patch
+prematurely without polish. But a better approach of course is to avoid
+sending your patch prematurely in the first place.
+
+Please be considerate of the time needed by reviewers to examine each
+new version of your patch. Rather than seeing the initial version right
+now (followed by several "oops, I like this version better than the
+previous one" patches over 2 days), reviewers would strongly prefer if a
+single polished version came 2 days later instead, and that version with
+fewer mistakes were the only one they would need to review.
+
+
[[reviewing]]
=== Responding to Reviews