Re: [Pnet-developers] Procedures for bug reporting

[Rhys Weatherley]

On Thursday 20 March 2003 10:20 am, James Michael DuPont wrote:
> These are rules like
> 1. the boss is always right
> 2. if the boss is wrong, see rule #1

More like:

1. the boss is always right
2. if the boss is wrong, you must do the work yourself to prove it
3. if you don't do the work to prove it, see rule #1

This isn't a democracy Michael.  It is a meritocracy, based on working code.

> > Rule #3: If you submit a bug to the bug database, then the natural
> > assumption
> > is that you expect someone other than yourself to address the issue.
> > Bugs
> > that you wish to fix yourself should be entered into the Patch
> > Manager, with
> > a working patch.
>
> Like I am planning on fixing bugs at the time I report them?

In the case of Bug #2806, you opened the bug with the intention of someone 
else fixing it.  That someone else said "not important".  You then 
volunteered to look into it yourself, so it falls back to "you don't need 
your own bug open to fix it yourself".

> Look rhys, I don't know what you expect of the bug reporter,
> but if was you, I would be happy that anyone is taking thier time to
> test your software, to report the bug and provide test cases.

I welcome all bug reports, and deal with them as they arrive.  Sometimes the 
only way to deal with a bug report is to throw it back.

> I cannot believe you are implying that you know of hundreds of bugs
> that you indend on fixing, and that you dont share with others.

Have you looked at the ChangeLog files recently?  I do in fact know of 
hundreds of bugs.  They normally get fixed so fast that it would be pointless 
to enter them into the bug database just to close them 30 minutes later.  A 
summary of the high points is put into the NEWS file on every release to 
"share" them with others.

I am no stranger to the tension that occurs between people who report bugs and 
those that resolve them.  The rules are intended to ensure that bugs move 
towards resolution, instead of towards endless debate.  Rule #6 is the escape 
hatch - if you disagree, then participate in the meritocracy and help.

Cheers,

Rhys.