Merge pull request #197 from joshtriplett/template-improvements

TEMPLATE.md: Distinguish between alignment on syntax and alignment on goal

Author: joshtriplett

src/TEMPLATE.md

@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 > Give it a title that describes what you plan to get done in the next 6 months
 > (e.g., "stabilize X" or "nightly support for X" or "gather data about X").
 > Feel free to replace any text with anything, but there are placeholders
-> designed to help you get started. 
+> designed to help you get started.
 >
 > The **point of contact** is the person responsible for providing updates.
 >
@@ -39,6 +39,8 @@
 >
 > *This text is NORMATIVE, in the sense that teams should review this and make sure they are aligned. If not, then the shiny future should be moved to frequently asked questions with a title like "what might we do next".*
 
+*However, for most proposals, alignment on exact syntax should not be required to start a goal, only alignment on the problem and the general sketch of the solution. This may vary for goals that are specifically about syntax, such as ergonomic improvements.*
+
 ## Design axioms
 
 > *This section is optional, but including [design axioms][da] can help you signal how you intend to balance constraints and tradeoffs (e.g., "prefer ease of use over performance" or vice versa). Teams should review the axioms and make sure they agree. [Read more about design axioms][da].*
@@ -97,4 +99,4 @@ Definitions for terms used above:
 
 ### What do I do with this space?
 
-*This is a good place to elaborate on your reasoning above -- for example, why did you put the design axioms in the order that you did? It's also a good place to put the answers to any questions that come up during discussion. The expectation is that this FAQ section will grow as the goal is discussed and eventually should contain a complete summary of the points raised along the way.*
+*This is a good place to elaborate on your reasoning above -- for example, why did you put the design axioms in the order that you did? It's also a good place to put the answers to any questions that come up during discussion. The expectation is that this FAQ section will grow as the goal is discussed and eventually should contain a complete summary of the points raised along the way.*