[Qgis-developer] [Qgis-user] Stress about release plans

[Alexandre Neto]

Hi all,

On Tue, Jul 22, 2014 at 10:10 AM, Otto Dassau <dassau at gbd-consult.de> wrote:

>
>
> a) Trainers could combine their forces and prepair general training
> materials
> together that everybody can use and extend. All tools and the document
> basis
> is available and provided by QGIS project in the documentation repository.
> I
> know there are many people conducting trainings on QGIS, if they all work
> together as developers already do, we would probably be in a much better
> situation.
>

+1

Open source is not just open code. Contribution can be done in
documentation and Help. Trainers should have a huge responsibility here.
(Remember, no free lunches)

Do we have people working on hunting and squashing Bugs and Feature
Requests from Documentation and Help?

https://hub.qgis.org/projects/quantum-gis/issues?query_id=81

Is it a common practice for developer to fill feature requests for
Documentation and help whenever they create new features? This would still
free developers to keep creating good stuff, and help others to keep track
of what needs attention in Docs. Using the visual changelog and scrolling
the commits messages might not be reliable enough.


Alexandre Neto

>
> b) An idea that already works for the development of QGIS features is
> paying
> some amount or percantage of each development for good documentation and
> training material. Many new features in QGIS are payed by customers. But
> usually customers and developers don't think about also spending an
> additional little amount to document the feature in the QGIS docs and
> training material. I don't know why, but that's reality.
>
> So for me, the problem is not just about changing the releases cycles. It
> is
> more about bringing documenters and trainers closer to the project again to
> combine their forces. And to make customers/users/developers aware, that
> documentation and training material is an important part of the software
> and
> should not be forgotten and maybe automatically added to an offer, if new
> (payed) features are added.
>
> Regards,
> Otto
>
> Am Tue, 22 Jul 2014 08:43:02 +0300
> schrieb Micha Silver <micha at arava.co.il>:
>
> > I also do some short training courses using QGIS, and I fully understand
> > and support Lene's idea.
> >
> >
> > On 21/07/2014 18:35, Lene Fischer wrote:
> >
> > Hi,
> >
> > This is not a mail about bugs or issues on a special feature – just a
> > matter of time.
> >
> > Right now I´m preparing a 3 week intensive GIS course at university level
> > - looking forward to these annual events. But I get stressed when I see
> > that there are only 94 days until next version of QGIS. Because in
> > November I start over again with a 8 week course and in February a 3 week
> > course, in may a 3 week course. All in all we have more than 140 students
> > learning QGIS every year – and they are impressed of this program!!!
> >
> >
> >
> > I love getting new features in the program, but fear the work to run
> > through every assignment, every video and being a bit unsure how the
> > program works in the latest version on the different platforms.
> >
> > Small changes which I haven´t noticed and therefore unaware of. So a new
> > version so soon gives me a lot of stress and so many hours of work –
> >  hours which could be used to ex. testing.
> >
> >
> >
> > When I ask users to download the program they take the official latest
> > version – sometimes with bugs included… It gives an impression of an
> > unprofessional product (not my words), it gives me- and others hard times
> > to fix or explain. I´ve been talking to other users/administrators who
> has
> > the same experience.
> >
> > What if we had :
> >
> > ·        A long term stable version for ex. 12 months with bugfix only
> >
> > ·        A developer version for 4 months with new features and bugfixes
> > => Stable version with short bugfix-period => New developer……..
> >
> >
> >
> > I do know it will give the developers more work – I do know it will cost
> > more money – But I´m sure a lot of administrators will recommend,  use
> and
> > support if we get a more stable environment.
> >
> > So please – consider another release plan in the future.
> >
> > Regards
> >
> > Lene Fischer
> >
> > Associate Professor
> >
> >
> >
> > Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management
> >
> > University of Copenhagen
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > MOB +45 40115084
> >
> > lfi at ign.ku.dk
>
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