Based on the threads about http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-committers/2013-May/002529.html and discussion on http://bugs.python.org/issue17953; It would be good to add some (very high level)checks inside patchcheck that will tell the user if Misc/NEWS needs to be updated for the patch created. 

As of now the patchcheck utility adds a notice to modify Misc/NEWS for every patch. IMO this notice should be based on some simple checks.
eg:
number of lines modified and/or directories changed (that might give a clue about ignoring minor changes in documentation and considering changes in Python core or major changes in Libs etc) based on which make patchcheck should generate warnings for changing Misc/NEWS.

I am not sure which component patchcheck corresponds to, so I have left that out and added people on nosy list in http://bugs.python.org/issue17953. If I have missed the concerned maintainer, kindly let me know.

There isn't really a maintainer. I originally wrote it to help out new developers, but no one owns it. We just let people submit fixes they find useful and add them.

Not sure it's worth making the logic more complicated just to save one line in some occasions.  Hiding the messages about configure and pyconfig.h.in when they are not needed would save two lines and it should be simpler to do, but if you have something specific in mind feel free to propose a patch.

It's not about saving lines in the output, it's about saving space in the developer's brain/workflow efficiency.  That said, it is only valuable if it is reasonably reliable.

To me, the line about a NEWS entry is useless noise.  I would prefer that it be removed entirely.  If it is kept, then leave it alone and close this.

If it's bugging you, Terry, feel free to delete that part of the check as it's of more use to core devs and we won't forget.

> As of now the patchcheck utility adds a notice to modify Misc/NEWS for every patch.
Patchcheck truthfully reports whether /docs, ACKS, and NEWS have been modified. I do not read it as saying anything about whether they *should* be updated.  For Docs and NEWS, *should* is a judgement call for core devs, which would be very hard to automate.  The only remotely simple check would be whether a NEWS item contains a name not in ACKS, and even that is only a suggestion.  So lets leave it alone.