Re: [log4perl-devel] Re: logdie / logcroak

[Erik W. S. <er...@se...>]

This is kinda moot now, but I wanted to weight in as the meta-point is a 
good one.

> One of *my* goals in starting this project was to emulate log4j 
> behavior as closely as possible so that a) a person who knew one could 
> easily transfer his knowledge base to the other, 

> b) documentation that applies to one would apply to the other, 

> c) log4perl would have the benefit of the log4j design decisions and 
> all the log4j brain sweat, 

> d) a config file could be used by either log4j or log4perl--they get 
> complex, they should be reusable.

So I agree with all, but I don't think the point on (c) has the proper 
scope. We certainly want to have the benefit of all the brain sweat. 
However, if / when we find design issues and whatnot, the beauty of open 
source is that we can contribute our brain sweat back. Case in point, 
say they really had defined OFF as FATAL and ALL as DEBUG. I'd like to 
say that we'd want to fix that brokenness and give back to them and 
explain why (as it may well work in a Java world, but break horribly in 
others, and thus should be fixed to work in all worlds).

> So if log4j has OFF = FATAL, I think we should do the same thing, even 
> if we think it's wrong, just because it's the *same*.
>
> That's my opinion, anyway.  Nice thing about having three developers 
> talking about this is we don't have to worry about breaking ties.  
> What do you guys think?
>
Here's what my advisor would say:

That's equivalent to saying: "So if log4j has a bug that crashes the 
entire system, I think we should do the same thing, even if we think 
it's wrong, just because it's the *same*."

In general, I agree that if Log4j does things a certain way and there's 
a reason for that certain way, then we should follow that way. Format of 
the config file, for example. However, if and when we find something 
that just doesn't make sense, we should talk to the Log4j folks, figure 
out if it does, and then do the right thing --- which, if it differs 
from Log4j, is fine, we just give them the option of fixing it as well.

At least, that's my $0.02. :)

-e