Package: lintian Version: 2.2.0 Severity: wishlist Tags: patch Hi,
Proposed check info:
> Tag: using-first-person-in-description
> Severity: minor
> Certainty: possible
> Info: You should avoid the use of first person ("I will do this..." or
> "We recommend..."). The computer is not a person and the description does
> not speak for the maintainer(s). You should use neutral construction and
> often the passive form.
This check is based on using-first-person-in-template, but with a couple of
words more (which in the end should also be included in the original check).
It also checks for the word "You" (case sensitive) because by definition a
description should not give instructions to the reader (like "You should
really install package bar if you use foo"). I felt like lowercase "you"
would be too picky.
I originally used severity: normal, but later was unsure about the severity
because if I filed a bug report I would use severity: minor but using this
severity causes an EWI code of I which lintian by default doesn't display it.
As a bonus the attached mbox contains a patch implementing:
> Tag: first-word-of-sentences-too-repetitive
> Severity: minor
> Certainty: wild-guess
> Info: The given word is used very often as the first word of a sentence.
> This makes the description hard to read because it is repetitive.
> .
> Consider rephrasing the description, using a more wide diversity of words.
> In case you have troubles with it an email to the english i18n mailing
> list should help.
Cheers,
--
Raphael Geissert - Debian Maintainer
www.debian.org - get.debian.net
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