[Mapserver-dev] Bug status needs attention

[Daniel Morissette]

Frank Warmerdam wrote:
> 
> My thinking has always been that I should quickly review the bug when
> I first receive it.  At that point I might ask for more information or
> even just add a note saying I don't think I will get to it for a long
> time.  But if the bug looks reasonably well documented and something I
> would like to deal with I will accept it - even if it might be months
> till I return to finally solve it.
> 

I guess marking as accepted with a note saying that it could be a (long) 
while before you get to it might work. But what if the bug doesn't seem 
important to you? Do you leave it as new? Mark it RESOLVED/WONTFIX?

> 
> I think that Sean and many users may feel frustrated about bugs that they
> write up and that never get any reply, are never accepted, etc.  It is
> very hard to judge if the bug has even been seen by anyone.
> 

Agreed that this is frustrating, and I'd like to change that. I'm just 
not sure that silently accepting bugs (just marking ASSIGNED without a 
comment) is much better. For a few hours the user gets excited by the 
quick turnaround, and months later he'll be wondering what's going on 
with the bug.

So I'd be happy to review and mark bugs assigned ASAP, as long as the 
developer is also required to provide a quick analysis and ETA as he 
accepts it.


> Of course, with a release pending I imagine you (as release manager) 
> will now
> feel obligated to go through all the open bug reports and try to 
> classify them
> and/or prompt some action.   Thats a thankless job. :-)
> 

I had done it for 4.2 and was planning to do it for 4.4 if I ever get 
formal feedback about the proposed release plan from a majority of the 
developers.

Unfortunately getting feedback from the developers is a problem: most of 
those I spoke to either on IRC, private emails or via this list seem to 
assume that I have a special status and don't need their blessing to 
move on with a release, but I don't feel this way. I've never been 
officially appointed release manager by anyone (other than your 
nomination in an email to this list last week): I'm just another 
developer on the project that's making more noise than the average 
because I feel that releases are important.

This being said, since there were no objections to your email nominating 
me as release manager last week, I'll move ahead and lead the 4.4 
release as if I had been officially appointed by the whole group. If 
anyone has objections, then please speak up now.

More on the release plan in another email...

Daniel
-- 
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  Daniel Morissette               dmorissette at dmsolutions.ca
  DM Solutions Group              http://www.dmsolutions.ca/
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