If the changes are not backward compatible, consider alternatives to the change that preserve existing functionality. If compatibility must be sacrificed, ensure through newsgroup discussions and bug reports that the loss is well-understood and documented. If so, and if the milestone schedule permits, push back on the patch submitter and the module owner to do the right thing everywhere, and file bugs as needed. If it's time to minimize risk according to the milestone schedule , consider less sweeping changes, if any, that fix the bug or palliate its symptoms. If the module is a mess, identify an owner and call for him or her to assert a coding style.
Messy files are a telltale of poor or non-existent ownership.
The point is not to be perfect, or to try so hard that you slow patch acceptance to an unacceptable crawl. The point is to get the right eyes, in addition to many eyes, on the code we're all developing. The Mozilla Organization. Last modified May 17, 2001. Document History .