3 ms·

But what if the changes were proposed as an actual diff to the original document, similar to a pull request, so that once it is approved, it can be combined int

by thayne 4y ago

But what if the changes were proposed as an actual diff to the original document, similar to a pull request, so that once it is approved, it can be combined into a new version that fully replaces the old?

bombcar 4y ago
They often are, but the standards groups don't seem to actually produce that changed new version (likely because they wouldn't have a way to reference it?) - governments just implement the diffs in the law.
- thayne 4y ago
  > likely because they wouldn't have a way to reference it? Just add a version onto it, like RFC 1234-2022 for the version of RFC 1234 released in 2022 (or use incementing integers it doesn't really matter). That's basically how language standards like ISO c and c++ and ecmascript are done isn't it?
  - kcexn 4y ago
    They often do have version and revision numbers. As well as final release numbers. I find the biggest issue is the lack of ability to trace the document forwards in the repositories. Usually an update will list which documents it updates but often it's much harder to find if there have been any new updates that have further obsoleted this update.
- xenadu02 4y ago
  That's one of the functions of the Federal Register. It applies the diffs so to speak to produce the actual code (by code here I mean law code). But yes in theory you can challenge that in court by showing they applied the changes incorrectly or something. And FWIW every once in a great while the government does tend to reset the baseline, declaring a specific version of the merged code as the single truth. So even if there are errors or whatever from previous applications of various bills it doesn't matter and courts can't examine that. This prevents every bit of law from potentially being subject to reconstruction from the first congress forward. I believe the current base revision is from 1986.

by thayne 4y ago

bombcar 4y ago

They often are, but the standards groups don't seem to actually produce that changed new version (likely because they wouldn't have a way to reference it?) - governments just implement the diffs in the law.

thayne 4y ago
> likely because they wouldn't have a way to reference it? Just add a version onto it, like RFC 1234-2022 for the version of RFC 1234 released in 2022 (or use incementing integers it doesn't really matter). That's basically how language standards like ISO c and c++ and ecmascript are done isn't it?
- kcexn 4y ago
  They often do have version and revision numbers. As well as final release numbers. I find the biggest issue is the lack of ability to trace the document forwards in the repositories. Usually an update will list which documents it updates but often it's much harder to find if there have been any new updates that have further obsoleted this update.
xenadu02 4y ago
That's one of the functions of the Federal Register. It applies the diffs so to speak to produce the actual code (by code here I mean law code). But yes in theory you can challenge that in court by showing they applied the changes incorrectly or something. And FWIW every once in a great while the government does tend to reset the baseline, declaring a specific version of the merged code as the single truth. So even if there are errors or whatever from previous applications of various bills it doesn't matter and courts can't examine that. This prevents every bit of law from potentially being subject to reconstruction from the first congress forward. I believe the current base revision is from 1986.