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Laws (at least in Italy, probably in other countries with similar systems) are actually commits to a source control system- in the sense that they contain both
by Udik 7y ago
Laws (at least in Italy, probably in other countries with similar systems) are actually commits to a source control system- in the sense that they contain both new content and modifications to previous content (additions, changes and deletions).
What I think is missing is a concept of document: commits (laws) just accumulate on top of each other without producing named, organized documents (files, in proper source control systems) with clear responsibilities, that can be easily referred to from other documents, and of which the latest version is the only one that counts.
- rayiner 7y agoSame in the US. Most bills are structured as diffs to the United States Code.
- maxerickson 7y agoUS jurisdictions mostly produce the organized documents you speak of. For instance, the codified laws here: https://www.loc.gov/law/help/statutes.php https://www.loc.gov/law/help/statutes.php
- Udik 7y agoThis (from a quick reading, I might have misunderstood) seems to be a system for categorising laws, but not exactly what I was talking about: when you look for something, you're still referring to individual laws, by law number or popular name. Instead, when you want to read a computer program, you don't look at individual commits to the code base, you look at its files. Commits are more or less irrelevant, what counts is the most recent version of a set of documents, and each commit might create, modify or delete more than one document. It seems only a change in perspective, the end result is the same; but reasoning in terms of documents with well-organised names and responsibilities, describing processes and data and designed for reusability, is much easier and more compact.
- james_in_the_uk 7y agoThis is one aspect of how LexisNexis and Westlaw make their money. Copies of legal instruments in their up-to-date 'as amended' form are often behind a paywall.
- maxerickson 7y agoHere's a better link, to the text of the United States Code: https://uscode.house.gov/ https://uscode.house.gov/ It's still full of references to bills and such, but it is the consolidated text of the law.