Bug#990426: www.debian.org: Clarify status of list of old TC decisions

Calum McConnell <[email protected]> Mon, 26 Jul 2021 16:31:19 -0400

Newsgroups	gmane.linux.debian.devel.www
Message-ID	<8d21c040ca32d1d137775cb968ea5c5fbece1bf4.camel__5231.22639149136$1627347444$gmane$org@gmail.com>

On Thu, 2021-07-08 at 18:08 -0700, Sean Whitton wrote:
> Hello,
> 
> On Thu 08 Jul 2021 at 09:12AM +02, Raphael Hertzog wrote:
> 
> > Hi,
> > 
> > On Mon, 28 Jun 2021, Sean Whitton wrote:
> > > -<p>NB that decisions from before the 1st of April 2002 are not yet
> > > -recorded here.</p>
> > > +<p>NB that no decisions from before the 1st of April 2002 are yet
> > > recorded
> > > +here yet.</p>
> > 
> > That wording doesn't seem correct for me. Maybe:
> > « Note that no decisions from before the 1st of April 2002 are
> > recorded
> > here. »
> > or
> > « Note that decisions from before the 1st of April 2002 have not been
> > recorded here. »
> 
> There should not be two 'yet's, indeed.  Thanks.
> 
> > >  <h3>Formal nontechnical and procedural decisions</h3>
> > > 
> > > @@ -337,8 +337,8 @@ recorded here.</p>
> > > 
> > >  </ul>
> > > 
> > > -<p>NB that decisions from before the 31st of January 2002 are not
> > > yet
> > > -recorded here.</p>
> > > +<p>NB that no decisions from before the 31st of January 2002 are
> > > recorded here
> > > +yet.</p>
> 
> This one doesn't have the same problem and I think is fine.
> 

I think I understand Raphael's point: the wording felt a bit awkward to me
as well on a first read.  The "no" should go with the verb, not the
subject, and it's a mile away.  Plus, I think there's tense weirdness
going on with the 'yet' as well: 'yet' indicates past actions, and 'are'
indicates the present tense.  

It should probably be:

+<p>NB that all decisions from before the 31st of January 2002 have yet to
be recorded here </p>  

Alternatively, since I think you're trying specifically to remove the "not
yet" in the original, try just getting rid of the 'yet': it doesn't add
much.

+<p>NB that no decisions from before the 31st of January 2002 have been
recorded here </p>

Or, (and this is the option I personally will be taking), simply ignore
this tiny bit of subjectively awkward english, stop being overly pedantic
about a tiny phrase that doesn't matter, thank the person adding a much
needed note to an out of date page, and take a nap while contemplating the
silliness of language.

Looking forward to his nap,
Calum M

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