[Python-Dev] Moving bugs and patches through the pipeline more quickly

[Skip Montanaro]

    >> * Assign it to just about anybody so someone is notified.  

    Guido> Please don't do this!  We tried this for a while, but bugs and
    Guido> patches actually got lost this way because quite a few developers
    Guido> were apparently on permanent leave and just let the bug/patch rot
    Guido> in SF.

Okay, that got a response!  If bugs are submitted without assignment, we
should probably establish a formal triage system.  It could work on a
rotating basis (weekly?).  Still, I think there has to be some way to work
through new bugs quickly to either get them advanced quickly or ejected from
the system.

As an "official" developer, I would find it useful to get a summary mailing
weekly of stuff that's assigned to me.  I have no particular other reason to
login to SF.

    Guido> Assigning to a random *active* developer may seem to work,
    Guido> because if this developer isn't the right person, he will quickly
    Guido> do triage and pass it to someone more appropriate -- or simply
    Guido> unassign it if there's nobody appropriate.  But if the person is
    Guido> away (e.g. on vacation or on an extended business trip), the
    Guido> other developers will be less likely to pay attention to the bug
    Guido> than when it's not assigned at all.

This suggests that it would be useful if SF allowed people to temporarily
inactivate themselves.  Is there such a feature?  (I didn't see anything,
though I was just able to change my timezone from US/Eastern to US/Central.
woo hoo!) 

    Guido> Playing games with the bug priority to get someone's attention is
    Guido> also the wrong thing to do -- only the experienced developers
    Guido> should raise the priority of a bug, based on its real importance;
    Guido> we have rules like "everything priority 7 or higher must be fixed
    Guido> before the next release".  (Lowering priority on submission is
    Guido> fine of course, if you know you have a low priority bug report.)

I don't believe I suggested this as a way to grab peoples' attention.

    >> As the Python user base grows I think we do need a way to expand the
    >> developer pool without a lot of effort because the amount of feedback
    >> is always going to be proportional to the number of users....

    Guido> I would certainly like to see more applications from people
    Guido> interested in getting developer status, even if it means I'll
    Guido> have to do semi-formal "interviews" or reference checks myself.
    Guido> How can we encourage the good developers that exist to help?

Well, you could always post an announcement on c.l.py.  I suspect you might
have an initial candidate in Jonathan Gardner.  ;-) Still, I sort of doubt
this is how other large open source projects work.  I can't imagine it's a
real productive use of your time or that of other gifted folks (Larry Wall,
Ben Wing, etc).

Skip