[jdom-interest] getChild() vs. getChildElements()

[Jason Hunter]

> OK, I'm going to say something that hopefully James understands (OK,
> James? ;-) ). If someone isn't a committer on this project, we really
> can't lend them all this extra weight. 

You misunderstand.  I can use whatever outside resources and opinions I
want on deciding how to cast my vote.  Now my vote only carries with it
the weight of one vote (although as a -1 veto that's all the weight it
needs).

> I know that I've been guilty as
> anyone - for example, I tend to really listen up when Simon St.
> Laurent talks, because I think he is top notch in XML land. 

That's nothing to be guilty of.  He is top notch, and his opinion should
weigh into your vote.  :-)  

> But  votes are first you and I (on core). Then it's the testers and 
> contribers - Elliotte, Jools, Werner, some others... and thnose 
> people decide it. If we still can't get consensus or majority, 
> or whatever, /then/ we go to non-committers.

Following Apache standards, one committer proposes a change, and people
vote.  It takes three +1 votes and no -1 votes to proceed with the
change.  (Since we have just two core committers, two +1 votes will
suffice.)  We've already had a -1 vote here (that'd be me), so there's
no need for looking to non-core voters.

For point of reference, on the earlier null vote you and I were not
fully decided and so looked for outside opinion.  (Which again, is a
good thing.)

Here I'm up to be swayed by outside opinion.  Please continue sending in
opinions (for and against).  But, like I said, I put time into this
project in the hope that it will make my XML coding life easier and save
me time and effort.  Anything that goes against JDOM making my life
easier makes me less inclined to put time into JDOM.  

I think (like Philip said) a beginner can figure out that "Element
getChild(String name)" will return an Element, and it makes my code look
better and gets my job done faster. And since we looked at the
Collections APIs for whether to return null or not, let me point out
they shortened the "addElement" name down to just "add".  :-)

> Once James is a committer (something I hope he throws some patches 
> in for so we could make happen), then I'll listen to him equally 
> as well; until then, it's not fair to the community.

I just have to say again:  Listen to people you know are smart!  I don't
think anyone in this community wants you to ignore expert outside
opinion because the person hasn't contributed patches.  The expert may
not have a binding vote, but you don't need to shut them out.

-jh-