HACKING: bug-tracker, the PLANS directory, and how to plan "big" changes

Signed-off-by: Stefano Lattarini <stefano.lattarini@gmail.com>

diff --git a/HACKING b/HACKING
index d8ee634b189e9561c54e76e11f8fa4736d8bcdc2..011b6e2fc18f200bf7ca9524b92ee96a4ff8107d 100644 (file)
--- a/HACKING
+++ b/HACKING
@@ -38,6 +38,16 @@
 * Changes other than bug fixes must be mentioned in NEWS.  Important
   bug fixes should be mentioned in NEWS, too.
 
+* Changes which are potentially controversial, require a non-trivial
+  plan, or must be implemented gradually with a roadmap spanning several
+  releases (either minor or major) should be discussed on the list,
+  and have a proper entry in the PLANS directory.  This entry should be
+  always committed in the "maint" branch, even if the change it deals
+  with is only for the master branch, or a topic branch.  Usually, in
+  addition to this, it is useful to open a "wishlist" report on the
+  Automake debbugs tracker, to keep the idea more visible, and have the
+  discussions surrounding it easily archived in a central place.
+
 ============================================================================
 = Naming