Re: tsvn:logwidth in svn repository (Re: svn commit: r12696 - trunk/subversion/po)

steveking <steveking@gmx.ch> writes:
> Three lines (that's the size of my patch) equals three months for
> committing - now imagine me writing a patch which implements a new
> feature ;)

I have a lovely story for you, about how the size or apparent
simplicity of a patch can be deceptive :-).

From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Steinmetz:

    In the early years of this century, Steinmetz was brought to
    General Electric's facilities in Schenectady, New York. GE had
    encountered a performance problem with one of their huge
    electrical generators and had been absolutely unable to correct
    it. Steinmetz, a genius in his understanding of electromagnetic
    phenomena, was brought in as a consultant -- not a very common
    occurrence in those days, as it would be now.

    Steinmetz also found the problem difficult to diagnose, but for
    some days he closeted himself with the generator, its engineering
    drawings, paper and pencil. At the end of this period, he
    emerged, confident that he knew how to correct the problem.

    After he departed, GE's engineers found a large "X" marked with
    chalk on the side of the generator casing. There also was a note
    instructing them to cut the casing open at that location and
    remove so many turns of wire from the stator. The generator would
    then function properly.

    And indeed it did.

    Steinmetz was asked what his fee would be. Having no idea in the
    world what was appropriate, he replied with the absolutely unheard
    of answer that his fee was $1000.

    Stunned, the GE bureaucracy then required him to submit a formally
    itemized invoice.

    They soon received it. It included two items:

        1. Marking chalk "X" on side of generator: $1.
        2. Knowing where to mark chalk "X": $999.

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Received on Fri Jan 14 19:51:17 2005